ROBERT LEE (WHITEY) HOWARDRobert Lee (Whitey) Howard, 92, of Pendleton, Indiana, passed away on Tuesday, July15th, 2008 at the Marion VA Hospital following an extended illness.Whitey was born the fourth of 10 children in Muncie, Indiana on May 12, 1916 to his parents, William Lewis and Reba Cleo Stephenson Howard. He was a graduate of Muncie Central High School and a World War II pilot in the United States Army Air Corps. During service, he flew transport planes in the China/Burma/India Campaign. After the war, he owned and operated Farm and City Lumber Company through which he became a land developer and building contractor. Later, he built and operated the Bourbon Barrel Restaurant. Whitey traveled extensively having visited every continent except Antartica, read voraciously and loved building of all kinds. He bred, raised, trained and raced standard-bred racehorses. Having a broker's license, he dabbled in buying and selling real estate.He is survived by his wife, Susan Howard of Pendleton; daughter, Linda Hagen of Fort Myers, Florida, and step daughter, Jennifer (husband, Darren) McVey of Pendleton; two brothers, Glen "Buddy" (wife Jean) Howard of Muncie and Jack Edward Howard of Indianapolis; four grandchildren, Shellee (husband, Steve) Goble of Fort Myers, Florida and Jayma (husband, John) Neeley of Jupiter, Florida, Riley and Caleb McVey of Pendleton; six great-grandchildren; Grady, Griffin and Grant Goble, and John, Julie, and Jolie Neeley; and many, many nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by daughter, Mary Susan 'Tootie" Shackelford, three sisters, LaVella Barkman, Louise Barnes and Shirley Gant and four brothers, Roy Junior Howard, Carl Gene Howard, Harold Otis Howard, and Leon Lewis Howard.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dementia Unit or the Palliative Care Unit at the VA Northern Indiana Health Care, 1700 E. 38th Street, Marion, Indiana 46953-4568.