With the dawning of Sunday, Oct. 24, 2004, 77-year-old Howard August Hamson died from complications of cancer in his home in Lewiston, Minn., while being cared for by his family.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27, at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. The Rev. Eugene Stenzel and the Rev. Syl Brown will officiate. Visitation will be held at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells from 4 to 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. today, and one hour prior to services on Wednesday at the church. Interment will be at Bricelyn Lutheran Cemetery in Seely Township, Faribault County.

Howard was born Sept. 2, 1927, the son of Harvey and Cathrine (Hampson) Hamson in Kiester Township, Faribault County. Howard attended the country school in Seely Township, Faribault County, until the eighth grade.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 and was stationed in Camp Peary in California. He was honorably discharged in 1946. On March 19, 1949, he was united in marriage to Renetta Erickson in Britt, Iowa. After their marriage, they resided in Albert Lea until 1963, when the couple moved to the family farm, where they raised their six children.

Howard was employed by Wilson Foods as a truck driver for 37 1/2 years, retiring in 1984, but continuing to drive truck until 1997.

He was an avid hunter and enjoyed guns.

In his younger years, he enjoyed flying. Howard loved to watch his grandchildren participate in sports and their activities. He and his wife spent the last 18 years wintering in Texas. He was a member of the Nels Lee American Legion Post in Bricelyn, Knights of Columbus, and a 40-year member of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth.

He is survived by his wife, Renetta Hamson of Lewiston; six children:

Jackie and husband Allan Martinson of Albert Lea, Howard Jr. and wife Nancy Hamson of Wells, Lori and husband Roger Read of Lyle, Kari and husband Marc Kalis of Lewiston, Maria and husband Joel DeFlieger of West Concord, Minn., and Tony Hamson and special friend Tammy of Rake, Iowa; 13 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one brother, Harold and wife Lois Hamson of Waseca; three sisters: Betty Reese of Craig, Colo., Grace Burke of Cumberland, Wis., and Marion and husband Harold Guckenburg of Whitewater, Wis.; two sisters-in-law: Donna and husband Newell Trustin of Mason City, Iowa, and Mary Hamson of Mason City; one uncle, August Hamson of Bricelyn; two aunts: Linda Hamson of Bricelyn, and Henrietta Hamson of Albert Lea; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters: Donna Burke and Gloria Borglum; one brother, Bernel Hamson; and a granddaughter, Allison Martinson.

In Lieu of flowers, memorial are preferred to the American Cancer Society.