Howard Bebb

Kearney resident, 76

KEARNEY - Howard E. Bebb, 76, of Kearney died Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011, at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church with the Rev. Stan Murdoch officiating. Burial of cremains will be later in Norton, Kan.

Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services is in charge of arrangements.

He was born Nov. 14, 1934, in Norton to Raymond and Arietta (Trotter) Bebb.

On May 21, 1955, he married Claryce Foster in Norton. She died in January 2011.

Survivors include his son, William "Bill" Bebb and his wife, Reesa, of Kearney; daughter-in-law, Monica Bebb of Lenora, Kan.; sister, Sandra Tuller and her husband, Garry, of Hill City, Kan.; grandchildren, Jeremy Webster and his wife, Celeste, Erik and his wife, Hannah, Jamie and his wife, Jillian, Josie, Jared, Jordan, Jonas and Jesse Bebb, Gavyn Reier, Justin and his wife, Megan, and Stephen and Zane Bebb; great-grandchildren, Abby Bebb and Tanner, Alexxys, Kaleb and Owen Webster; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

His mother died at a young age, and he and his sisters were raised by their father and his second wife, Irene.

He graduated from Almena (Kan.) High School in 1953. Howard served in the U.S. Air Force from 1957 to 1961, then served four years in the Reserve. Upon his discharge from the Air Force, he and his family returned to Norton.

Howard was a hard-working man of many talents, which he used in a variety of jobs throughout his lifetime. These included fire chief, maintenance superintendent, owner/operator of a service station, electrician, plumber and carpenter. Toward the end of his career, he was employed by Eaton Corp. in Kearney and then had been a rural newspaper carrier with his wife.

Howard enjoyed fishing, rock collecting, spending time in the mountains, restoring bicycles, fixing just about anything, helping others and spending time with his family. He was a loving husband and father, a kind-hearted man with a witty sense of humor.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his sons, Albert and Charles, and sisters, Jane and Karen.

Memorials are suggested to First Baptist Church or to the family for designated use later.

Visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a message of condolence, tribute or memory.