Howard Roy Lahr

Hastings resident, Howard (Roy) Lahr, 86, passed away Tuesday July 17, 2012 at the Mary Lanning Memorial HealthCare, Hastings, NE. Services will be Saturday, July 21, 2012 at 10:30 am at the Grace United Methodist Church in Hastings, NE with Pastor Wayne L. Rouse officiating. Burial will be in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Hastings, NE. Visitation will be Friday, July 20, 2012 from 9 am to 9 pm with the family present from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Brand-Wilson Funeral Home, Hastings, NE and up till service time at the church. Condolences may be sent to the family from www.brandwilson.com. Memorials may be given to the Grace United Methodist Church or the Shriners Hospital Transportation Fund. Roy was born June 14, 1926 to Howard and Wilma (Hutton) Lahr in Hastings, Nebraska. Roy attended Morton Grade School, Hastings Jr. High School. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1944. He attended Denver Business College. On October 15, 1950 he married Clara "Beth" Swanda. They lived in Hastings until 1962 when they moved to Cozad, Nebraska. Roy's career included a number of positions; Paper Boy for Hastings Tribune, Soda Fountain clerk at Burt's Drugstore, Uncles Foundry in Denver, CO, and Lincoln Telephone & Telegraph. Roy sold Encyclopedias and he was a Credit Manager for Hastings Typewriter until moving to Cozad, where he became the manager of the business side of Swanda Pharmacy. He then opened Lahr Clothiers and operated it until 1986 when they moved back to Hastings. He became a salesman for Hastings Advertising, Asst. Manager of the Front Porch Restaurant, Children's Ark Kitchen Manager, Janitor at Grace Church and production for Marshall Town Industries. Roy spent the last few years as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and delivering newspapers to patients at Mary Lanning Hospital. Roy belonged to Rotary, Noon Lions Club, President of Cozad Toastmasters, Past Master of Cozad Mason's Lodge #188 and a member of Lodge #317 Hastings, Scottish Rite and Shrine - Driver in motor unit. Member of Cozad Chamber of Commerce. Member of Cozad Country Club & Southern Hills of Hastings. He spent many enjoyable years singing with the Chorus of the Plains. He was a longtime member of the Methodist Church, both in Hastings and Cozad. He served as a Sunday School teacher and sang in the choirs. Also, a member of the Christian Builders Sunday School class. Roy is survived by his wife, Clara Beth of Hastings, one son, Gerald of Ocala, Florida, two daughters, Claudia Rouse and husband Wayne and Ellen Carlson and husband Jim all of Omaha, NE, one granddaughter, Malia Rouse of Omaha, NE, one sister, Faye Scheele and husband Leonard of Portland, Oregon, brother-in-law, Mike Swanda and wife Donna of Cozad, nieces, Susan Hart of Madras, Oregon, Vickie Miles of Lincoln, and Leslie Willie of Columbia, MO, nephews, Joe Scheele of California and Rex Swanda of Albuquerque, great niece, Jamison Miles, great nephews, Chad and Jeremy Hart and Nicholas Miles, and a special "Son": Jeff Adkins of Parker, CO. He was preceded in death by his parents, and a nephew Tom Scheele.