MELVERN, Kan. – Howard L. “Buss” Arb, 88, passed away Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, at Midland Hospice House, Topeka, Kan. He was born March 25, 1932, near Olivet, Kan., the son of Earl E. and Mary (Elliot) Arb.

Howard served in the United States Army from 1953 to 1955. He served in the Marshall Islands (Eniwetok) as a company clerk testing bombs. He was honorably discharged in 1955 at the rank of corporal. He worked for the Santa Fe Railroad as a truck driver for 43 years, until retiring in 2003. He also was a farmer and stockman, raising cattle and crops. He retired from farming in 2016, and had lived on the same farm for 65 years.

Howard was a member of the Melvern American Legion Post 317, the VFW, and the CO-OP, and had served on the school board and township board.

On Sept. 21, 1952, Howard was married to JoAnn Fanning, in Melvern, Kan. To this union five children were born.

Howard was preceded in death by his daughter, Tammy Foster, on Dec. 22, 2018, and son-in-law, Dean Foster, in September 2007; his parents, Earl and Mary; sisters, Norma Patterson and Bernice Hobert; brothers, Earl Dean, Orville, Eldon, Donald, Larry, Warren and Francis; and brothers-in-law Don Ambrose and Tom Twombly.

Howard is survived by JoAnn, his wife of nearly 68 years; four children, Debra Arb, Christy Arb, Janelle Arb and Keith (Denise) Arb; four sisters, Wilma (Cecil) Ambrose, Delores Ambrose, Barbara (Ron) Ernzen and Shirley Twombly; brother, Dale (Mary Ellen) Arb; and granddaughter, Kyelie Arb.

Graveside services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Melvern Cemetery. Memorial contributions can be made to American Legion Post 317 or Midland Hospice Care, sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, KS 66451. Condolences can be left at feltnerfuneralhome.com.