Howard Preston, 78, Dies at Belton; Rites at Ballinger

Howard C. Preston, 78, who had lived in Abilene with a son the past 
three years, died Thursday night at Belton where he was visiting.
Mr. Preston was the father of Herbert Preston, 1934 North Seventh St.
with whom he had made his home since retiring from the real estate
business three years ago.

Mr. Preston had lived in Belton about 40 years and was staying there
at the Ranch House Hotel when he died, apparently of a heart attack.
He was found dead in his bed Friday morning.

Bor Nov. 7, 1876 in Wichita, Kan., he was a veteran of the Spanish-
American War and a life long member of the Presbyterian Church.  He
was married to the former Marinda Mae Moore of Florence, who died in
1910 when the family was living in Ballinger.  Mrs. Preston is buried 
at Ballinger and her husband is to be buried beside her.

Funeral for Mr. Preston will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday at Newby-Davis
Funeral Home in Ballinger.

Officiating will be the Rev. Felix Keys, pastor of the Ballinger First
Presbyterian Church, US.  Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery at 
Ballinger.

His survivors include three sons, Herbert of Abilene; Clarence H. of
Del Rio, and J. T. of Pearsall; one daughter, Mrs. Holiday H. Hayley,
Tyler; one sister, Mrs. Eva Underwood, Gorman; four grandchildren and 
three greatgrandchildren.