Howard J. Chambers, 96, died Saturday, September 20, 2008 at the Ottawa County Health Center, Minneapolis, Kansas.
Howard was born in Silver Lake, Kansas on July 27, 1912, to Jay I. and Neva Chambers. That same year his parents moved to Tescott, Kansas. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Edna; his brother, Jack; and an infant son, Bradley. Survivors include his daughter, Cathy Chambers Estes of Topeka; his two sisters, Marniece Chambers of Minneapolis and Bonnie Christenson of Tescott; and one niece, Suellin Renninson of Lander, Wyoming.
Howard was a resident of Minneapolis, Kansas since 1937. He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Chamber of Commerce, Isis Shrine, National Association of Post Masters, V.F.W., and a 50 year member of American Legion Post 100. He enlisted in the Army at Fort Riley and was sent to Wichita's Rawdon Field to attend civilian pilot training. After that program was discontinued due to the war, he joined the Navy Seabees and was sent to Johnston Island in the Pacific and on to Saipan. Howard was heartily welcomed on Saipan since he had been trained previously at the University of Nebraska in ice cream making. The officers' mess ice cream machine was broken and Howard got it up and running. After the war, he operated an appliance store in Minneapolis and was part owner of the Solomon Valley Alfalfa Mill. He served as State Representative from the area in the 1955-56 Session of the Legislature. He was appointed U.S. Postmaster in 1958 and retired from that position in 1977.
Howard loved vegetable gardening and was one of the first people to grow Christmas trees in the area. He would surprise friends with gifts of tomatoes, watermelon, and cantaloupe and always kept the prices of the Christmas trees inexpensive so that every family could afford them.
Visitation with family and friends will be from 1 P.M. to 2 P.M. Wednesday at Wilson Shields Funeral Home, Minneapolis. Graveside services will follow at Highland Cemetery at 2:30 P.M. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.