KEOSAUQUA — Howard W. Buckles, 78, of Keosauqua, died Jan. 18, 2010, at Van Buren Good Samaritan Center Hospice, Keosauqua. He was born near Douds April 22, 1931, to Ellsworth R. and Ruth Roberts Buckles. Howard graduated from Troy High School in 1948 and lived most of his life in Keosauqua. He graduated from Reppert School of Auctioneering in Indiana in 1950. Howard married Arlene Rider Dec. 25, 1952, in Milton. He served in the U.S. Army from 1952-54 and was stationed in Japan and Korea. He and his wife, Arlene, owned and operated the Standard Oil Service Station in Keosauqua for 29 years. Howard was active in the Keosauqua Fire Department, City Council, Beer-Barker American Legion Post No. 113, Sheep Empire Association, Keosauqua Light and Power Board, Keosauqua Economic Development Association, was a member of Keosauqua Lions Club and the Lebanon United Methodist Church.
He served as a two-time president of the Iowa Auctioneers Association, President of the National Auctioneers Association in 1981, was twice Iowa State Champion Auctioneer and was inducted into the National Auctioneers Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Iowa and Missouri Auctioneers Hall of Fame. In recent years, he enjoyed serving as a step-on tour guide for the Villages of Van Buren bus tours. Surviving are his wife, Arlene; a son, Bill Buckles (Pat) of Wichita, Kan.; a daughter Diana Wolf (Chris) of Keosauqua; four grandsons, Christopher Buckles (Kristen) and Patrick Buckles of Wichita, Kan., Jacob and Ryan Wolf of Keosauqua.
He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant daughter, Kathy, and an infant son, Larry. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Keosauqua United Methodist Church; Rev. Elsa Lawry, Rev. Ann Donat and Rev. Ellis Andrews officiating. Burial will be in Fellows Cemetery, Keosauqua. Visitation will open at noon today at Pedrick Funeral Home in Keosauqua with the family present 2-4 p.m. and again 6-8 p.m. Memorials to the Keosauqua Lions Club or to the family for a memorial to be designated later, may be left at the funeral home, church or mailed to the family at P.O. Box 267, Keosauqua, Iowa 52565.
