LORETTA HAMANN, age 100, of Burnsville, formerly of Luverne, died Sunday, September 13, 2009, at the Rivers Assisted Living Facility in Burnsville. She was born the youngest of four children on June 24, 1909, in Henry County, IL, to Harry and Elizabeth (DeFliger) Kemerling. Loretta attended rural School District #59 in Rock County and graduated from Luverne High School in 1927. She then attended Normal School and taught in District #59. Loretta married Henry Hamann on June 6, 1929 at the First Presbyterian Parsonage in Luverne. After their marriage, the couple lived in Moline, IL, where Loretta worked at Montgomery Wards in the office until May of 1933. In 1936, the family moved back to Rock County to begin a thirty four year farming career that lasted until retirement in 1970. On the farm, Loretta milked cows and ran the binder for harvest. Loretta moved to Luverne in January of 1988. In August of 2005, she moved to The Rivers, in Burnsville, to be near her sons and their families. From the time she was a young wife, Loretta has had a strong personal faith in Christ that her family and many friends shared. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church in Luverne, where she taught Sunday School and served as Clerk. She was also a member of the Senior Focus Group; and the Hardwick Birthday Club. Henry & Loretta took many trips seeing the United States and Canada. They visited 45 of the 50 states and a number of Canadian provinces. She loved her family and enjoyed being a mother & grandmother. On June 24, 2009, she had her 100th birthday! Loretta received many phone calls and hundreds of birthday cards which were very encouraging to her. At the two large celebrations in her honor that week, she entered fully into the events. Loretta watched and listened as people shared pictures and memories of how she had ?touched? their lives, she greeted her guests with broad smiles, and she enjoyed many conversations and hugs from family and friends! Many new memories were made that week in the lives of friends, children, grandchildren & great grandchildren! Loretta is survived by her three sons, Ronald (Gerri) Hamann, Bloomington; Gordon (Betty) Hamann, Shoreview; and Arlyn (Julie) Hamann, Minnetonka; daughter-in-law, Wyonne (John) Goodwin, Raleigh, NC; eighteen grandchildren; twenty eight great grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Dorothea Hamann, Luverne. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Henry, on January 24, 1990; son, Donald, on May 12, 1996; two brothers, Charles & Henry Kemerling; and a sister, Ethel Alls.