Howard G. Staub lost a short, hard fought battle with brain cancer on May 7, 2008.Staub was born December 18, 1940 to Everette and Claudina Staub in Harlan IA. He spent his growing up years in Missouri, Gregory SD and moved to O’Neill NE to start the 7th Grade and to graduate from O’Neill High School. It was there that he made a host of lifelong friends. Upon graduation Howard enlisted into the US Air Force to make more long time friends over the 20 years of service to his country. During those 20 years he was stationed at Shepherd Air Force base, George AFB. Okinawa, and Thailand among other places. He retired as a Master Sergeant from the Air Force in June of 1979. After working for Northrop in CA he moved to Deming, NM in 1985. While in Deming Howard was very active in the community. He started life here working as a Mac Tool salesman in Deming, Silver City and Lordsburg. Later he worked as a sales rep for Desert Winds Magazine and it was during that time that he met and married his wife Totsie Slover. He spent 6 years as Chairman of the Luna County Republican Party, served on the Tourist Development Commission for 3 years as an appointed member from Luna County. He was contracted by the Deming Chamber of Commerce Board of Director to run the Great American Duck Races from 1993-95. He also sponsored several antique shows in Deming. Staub is well remembered as the promoter and organizer of the Old West Gun Show in Deming for 11 years. Shooting was a passion with him and he helped many people with reloading information, location of gun shows around the state and just how to get started with shooting sports. His latest passion was Black Powder Cartridge Rifle shooting. In this capacity he was active in the Picacho Gun Club in Las Cruces and was in charge of the BPCR monthly shoots. In 2007 Howard talked to Candie Sweetser, station manager of KOTS Radio and convinced her to let him do a 2-hour radio show, “The Real West from the Old West” where he played Cowboy Music and Cowboy Poetry. It was his goal in life to keep Cowboy Music and Poetry alive and he did a really good job of it for about 16 months. During that time he and his wife attended “Gatherings” or events in Lordsburg, NM, Alpine TX, Ruidoso, NM, Wilcox, AZ and the Western Music Assn Festival in Albuquerque. Staub was elected to the Western Music Assn. Board of Directors with his term starting Jan. 1, 2008. This new venture in life gained him another large group of friends. Howard is survived by his wife Totsie Slover of Deming, stepson Fred Seybert, IV, his wife Rhonda and daughter Haley of Rio Rancho, NM; stepdaughter April Morales, husband Ernie, children Josh and Tessi of El Paso, TX and mother in law Ethel Slover, Deming; aunt Eldora Peterson as well as several nieces and nephews and numerous cousins. Staub was preceded in death by his father Everette Staub; mother Claudina Staub; brother Joey and sister Loretta. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 6 PM on Sunday, May 11, 2008 at the Living Word Family Church, 104 S. Gold St. in Deming. A Prayer service will follow at 6 PM. Officiating will be Pastor Andres Silva. Graveside Funeral Services will be at the Ft. Bayard National Cemetery at 10:00 AM Monday, May 12, 2008 with a Masonic Graveside Services and Full Military Honors accorded by Holloman Air Force Base. In lieu of flowers the family request’s that donation be made to Mesilla Valley Hospice – La Posada, 299 E. Montana, Las Cruces, NM 88005 for their excellent care of Howard and his family.