Howard LaFayette, 93, died Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND. The funeral service will be at 3 PM, Saturday June 16, 2012 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Plummer, MN with Reverend Jonathan Dodson officiating. Burial will be at Emardville Cemetery, Plummer. Visitation will be 5-7 PM, Friday, June 15, 2012 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Plummer with a 7 PM prayer service and for one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. Howard Ellsworth LaFayette was born on September 3, 1918 at home on the family farm in Emardville Township, Red Lake County, MN the son of Elson and Laura (Hemstad) LaFayette. He attended District 214 country school through the 8th grade, then stayed home and farmed until entering into service with the United States Army during World War II. Howard was in the Signal Corps and was stationed in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands. Howard was united in marriage to Ida Hamrum; following her death, Howard was united in marriage to Myrtle Waldal. On January 11, 2003, Howard was united in marriage to Bernice Peterson and the couple continued to live in Plummer, MN. Howard was a member of the 49'ers all of his working life. He was a crane operator, working for Industrial Builders. He also helped on the family farm in his spare time. His interests included restoring old tractors (he had eleven old tractors); making things out of wood; team horses and buggies, he even built a covered wagon. Howard enjoyed being outside and enjoyed his Hemstad Century Farm. Howard was a member of the Plummer American Legion Post #623, Tri-Rivers Pioneers Museum, Immanuel Lutheran Church, and he served on the Senior Citizens Board. Survivors include his wife, Bernice LaFayette of Plummer, MN; 14 step-children; several step-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren; sisters, Joyce Cuykendall of Albany, OR and Violet Page of Oak Creek, WI; sister-in-law, Helen LaFayette of Plummer, MN; brother-in-law, Danny Whitaker of Maple Valley, WA; and is also survived by several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; wives, Ida and Myrtle; brother, Loren LaFayette; sisters, Lucille Meyer and Gladys Whitaker; and brothers-in-law, Alpen Meyer and Jim Cuykendall. Family condolences may be sent at www.johnsonfuneralservice.com Linda Olson, Special Music "In The Garden" & "Beyond The Sunset" Congregational Hymns: "How Great Thou Art" & "Amazing Grace" Casketbearers: Lowell Hamrum, Ron Freyholtz, Clayton Larson, Don Fox, Richard Froiland, Roger Skjerven Military Honors: Plummer American Legion Post #623