Paul Staab

Paul Robert Staab-Houston, age 60, of Kearney, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at Good Samaritan Society St. John’s Center in Kearney, NE, surrounded by family. Paul courageously battled some medical conditions after suffering multiple strokes for the past 11 years. Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m., Thursday, April 2, 2026, at Living Faith Fellowship Church in Kearney with Pastor Paul Stachura officiating. Burial will follow at the Kearney Cemetery. Visitation will be an hour prior to the service. Memorials may be made to Samaritan’s Purse in his name. Please visit www.hlmkfuneral.com to leave a tribute or message of condolence. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services in Kearney is in charge of arrangements.

Paul was born February 18, 1966, in Ord, NE to Bernard and Patty (Thompson) Staab. He was the youngest of four children. Paul graduated from Lexington High School in 1984 where he was on the Minutemen High School wrestling team. He was also involved with the Lexington High School International Thespian Society, receiving awards as Best Thespian and Honor Thespian. Paul also participated on his high school’s Speech, Drama and Debate Team, placing “Superior” in Serious Prose in the District Speech Contest in 1983.

After high school, Paul graduated from the University of Nebraska Lincoln in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology degree. While attending UNL, he was active in The Navigators Christian Campus Ministry.

Following college, Paul conducted chemical essays at Creighton University Laboratories, worked for American Foods Group in Gibbon, Ward Laboratories in Kearney, Cabela’s in Kearney, and Ross Dress for Less in Kearney.

At a young age Paul accepted Christ as his personal Savior, following spiritual conversations with his dad, Bernard. Paul was baptized October 5, 1975, at the First Baptist Church in Loup City at the age of 9 years old.

One of Paul’s hobbies included screenplay writing, a passion that led him to move to Los Angeles, CA in 2007. There, not only did he change his name to Paul Houston, but he had the opportunity to be an extra in a Jim Carey movie. Another passion of Paul’s was music, playing the harmonica and trying his hand at playing the keyboard.

Paul is survived by his mother, Patricia of Kearney; sister Marilyn of Jordon, MN; brothers David (Becky) of Clive, IA and James (Carol) of Kearney. His nieces and nephews include David (Sara) Staab of Knoxville TN, Rachel Garcia of Des Moines, IA, Andrew (Katie) Staab of Cedar Rapids, IA, Jonah Staab of Davidsonville, MD and Jeremiah Staab of Kearney, NE. Paul was also a great uncle to 9 great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Bernard Staab.