Gary Hamness, aged 80, passed away peacefully at Sanford Medical Center on December 30, 2023.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM Saturday, January 6, 2024, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Thief River Falls, Minnesota with Rev. Terri Cuppett officiating. Visitation from 3:00 to 6:00 PM with a prayer service at 5:00 PM at Johnson Funeral Service in Thief River Falls, Minnesota.  Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the funeral service at the church on Saturday.  The burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Strathcona, Minnesota.

Gary Wayne Hamness was born on September 5th, 1943, in Dodge City, Kansas, the only child to Nels and Evelyn (Erickson) Hamness.  Raised in Strathcona, Minnesota, on the family farm of Ralph and Nannie Hamness and attending school in Greenbush while his father was in the Army and Navy.  He lived in and attended school in Moorhead, Minnesota, Minot, North Dakota, and Seattle, Washington.  Finally graduating from Greenbush High School on May 31st, 1961.  He wrestled his senior year and was considered a brain and a rebel by his classmates.

After graduating High School, Gary moved to the Twin Cities with his parents.  He attended the University of Minnesota for a short time.  On May 5th, 1962, Gary met his soon-to-be wife, Carolyn, when he called upstairs to her apartment to tell her to turn the music up so that he could hear it.  Instead, she invited him up to listen to it.  On December 21st, 1962, they announced their engagement.  They were wed on February 29th, 1964, at Faith Lutheran Church in Hannaford, North Dakota.

In December of 1964, they had their first daughter, Janelle, in St. Paul.  Their son Jeffrey was born in October of 1967, in St. Paul.  Their second daughter, Jarilyn, was born in January of 1972, in Thief River Falls.

Gary and Carolyn lived in Woodbury, Minnesota until 1969 when they moved to Thief River Falls.

Gary was active in bowling leagues, the Minnesota Jaycees, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, The Sons of the American Legion, The Sons of Norway, and in Trinity Lutheran Church.  He served as the Vice President of the Jaycees from 1977-1978 and received the Minnesota Jaycee Statesman Award on March 28th, 1981.  He loved fishing, playing games, doing jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with family and friends.

Gary drove semi-truck for many years and worked at Arctic Cat and North Star Transportation as a traffic manager.  He retired from Arctic Cat in 2006.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Nels and Evelyn Hamness; and stepbrother Arlyn Nelson.  He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Carolyn; his children Janelle (Tony), Jeff, and Jarilyn (Jason); and "adopted" grandchildren Preston (Megan) Anderson and Miranda Anderson.