Robert L. Howard

Robert L. Howard, known and loved by nearly everyone as Bob or Bobby, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of April 24, 2026, surrounded by his daughter Tessa, his family, and a room full of love. He was 74 years old.

Bob was born on June 20, 1951, in Prestonsburg, Kentucky, to Ashland “Hawk” Howard and Darcus (Slone) Howard. In 1970 he made his way to Warsaw, Indiana, where he would spend the rest of his life building friendships, making memories, and leaving a mark on everyone he ever met.

He dedicated 32 years of his working life to RR Donnelley, working in the shipping department as a hoist truck driver.

Bob was, above all else, a people person. He didn’t know a stranger. Whether you met him once or knew him for decades, you walked away feeling like you had a friend for life. Many simply called him Uncle Bobby because that’s the kind of man he was. Family to everyone.

He was a man of many loves. A hardcore Elvis fan who ruled the karaoke stage with confidence, collar open to show off his chest hair. A lover of old westerns, Andy Griffith and music.

A dedicated University of Kentucky basketball fan. He played basketball through his college years, continued playing intramural basketball throughout his life, and wore his love for the Wildcats proudly, right down to his UK tattoo.

But perhaps the thing that defined Bob most was his generous, giving heart. He was not a man of great riches but he would give you his last penny, the shirt off his back, without a second thought. He volunteered with the AWANA ministry at New Hope Free Will Baptist Church dedicating himself to helping and raising up children in his community.

Bob loved cooking for his daughter, his stepdaughter, and all of their friends who he loved as his own throughout their childhood years. His kitchen was open to anyone who walked through the door and his specialty was “extra crispy” bacon for breakfast and baked potato & steak on the grill for dinner.

He had a sense of humor that could fill any room, a silliness that never got old, and a laugh you could pick out in any crowd.
Right up until the end he was charming the nurses with a wink and a “Good morning, darlin.”

He is survived by his daughter, Tessa Earhart, and her husband Matt of Fort Wayne, Indiana ; his cherished granddaughter, Riley, of whom he was so incredibly proud as she prepares to graduate from Ball State University ; his stepdaughter, Ashton Johnson of Sacramento, California ; his beloved sister Geneva Marshall of Warsaw, Indiana, with whom he shared a home for the past 20 years, taking care of each other through everything life brought their way; his great niece Laci and nephew Brandon, who were also part of that home; his brothers, Earl Howard of Warsaw, Indiana, Charles Howard of Warsaw, Indiana, Chalmer (Anne) Howard of Auxier, Kentucky, and Jackie (Kay) Howard of David, Kentucky; many beloved nieces and nephews; and countless friends who called him family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ashland “Hawk” Howard and Darcus (Slone) Howard; his brothers Don Howard and Lawrence Slone; his sisters Gladys Shepherd and Virginia Howard; and his sisters-in-law Carol Howard and Joan Howard.

Bob Howard didn’t leave this world with a lot of possessions. But he left it rich, rich in the people who loved him, the lives he touched, the children he poured into, and the friendships he never took for granted.

Bob's Life Celebration Visitation will be held on Friday from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Titus Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2000 Sheridan Street, Warsaw, IN 46580. His service will immediately follow starting at 3:00 PM with his friend and Pastor Bob Brown officiating. 

Memorial donations may be directed to Beat AML, a program dedicated to bringing precision medicine to AML patients through clinical trials, at bloodcancerunited.org/research/beat-aml-bringing-precision-medicine-patients-clinical-trial