PRESTON , Orvan Edward - b. April 7, 1936 - d. November 9, 2006

[Janet Harrington]

(Taken from the Flint Hills Express, Nov. 15, 2006, page 4)

Orvan Edward Preston died Thursday, Nov. 9, 2006 at the Howard Twilight Manor in Howard.  He was 70 years of age and a long time resident of rural Howard.  Orvan was born on April 7, 1936 on a farm northwest of Howard to Otis LeRoy and Hazel (Greenwood) Preston.  He attended Lower and Upper Paw Paw rural schools and graduated from Howard High School in 1955.

On December 29, 1972, he married Patricia Jane Heisler at Howard, and he adopted her children soon after their marriage.  Pat and Orvan owned and operated a farm north of Howard for many years.  He has been a resident of Howard Twilight Manor since 2001.

Orvan enjoyed square dancing, playing cards and working on his farm.  He was a life long member of the First Baptist Church of Howard.

He is survived by a daughter, Shayla Cramer and her husband Darren and a son, Shannon Preston and his wife April, all of Altus, Okla.; four grandsons, Sinjin and Creighton Cramer, Connor and John Parker Preston, and a granddaughter, Alexis Chelise Preston, all of Altus, Okla.; his sisters, Norma Salisbury of Howard, Ruth Preston of Newton, Joyce Lord of  Wichita, Dorothy Walta of Bonner Springs and Sue Wacker of Leavenworth; his brothers, Fred Preston of Howard and Dennis Preston of Newton.  He was preceded in death by his wife Patricia on Jan. 16 of this year, a daughter Chelise Mitchell, his parents and a brother Dean.

Funeral services were held on Saturday, Nov. 11 at the Zimmerman Funeral Home in Howard with Pastor Dean DeWitt and Pastor Robin Haines officiating.  The casket bearers were Allen Cummings, Alan Johnson, Lawrence Jontra, Rick Perkins, Dan Miller and Mike Mitchell.  The honorary casket bearers were Bob Lord, Wayne Salisbury, Marty Wacker and Bob Walta.  Memorials have been established with the Orvan Preston Memorial Scholarship Fund and the First Baptist Church of Howard.  Contributions may be left with the funeral home.  The funeral arrangements were made with the Zimmerman Funeral Home of Howard.