Hastings resident, Howard (Roy) Lahr, 86, died Tuesday, July 17th, 2012, at Mary Lanning Memorial HealthCare, Hastings, Nebraska.

Roy was born June 14th, 1926, to Howard and Wilma (Hutton) Lahr in Hastings. Roy attended Morton Grade School, Hastings Jr. High School. He graduated from Hastings High School in 1944.  He attended Denver Business College. On October 15th, 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, Colorado, 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, Nebraska; one granddaughter, Malia Rouse of Omaha, Nebraska; 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, Missouri; 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, Colorado.        

He was preceded in death by his parents, and a nephew Tom Scheele.  

Services were held Saturday, July 21st, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. at the Grace United Methodist Church in Hastings with Pastor Wayne L. Rouse officiating. Burial was in Sunset Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be given to the Grace United Methodist Church or the Shriner's Hospital Transportation Fund.