Wayne W. Howard, 70, 608 8th Ave N., Clear Lake, passed away March 22, 2008 of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis at Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.  Funeral services will be Thursday, March 27, 1:30 p.m., at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St., Clear Lake, and officiated by the Rev. Dennis Ganz.   Visitation  will be Wednesday, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel and then one hour preceding the service.  Burial will be held at the Clear Lake Cemetery with military honors provided by the Clear Lake V.F.W.  Memorials may be given to the Wayne Howard Memorial Fund.
     Wayne was born Feb. 12, 1938 in Waukon, Iowa, to George and Iowa (Barth) Howard.  After an honorable discharge from the US Navy, Wayne made his home in Eagle Grove, Iowa where he met and married the love of his life, Mary Flatebo, on March 15, 1958.  To this union four children were born, Ricky, Penny, Kim and Stacy. 
    Wayne worked most of his life in heating, air conditioning and the sheet metal trade.  In 1987 he purchased the Town Pump in Clear Lake.  He then decided to add a grill and became well know for his noon specials and 1/3 pound hamburgers, thus coining the phrase “Hamburger Heaven.”  His wife, Mary, and daughter, Kim, owned and operated the business with him until they sold it in 1997.  He then went to work at Monson Plumbing and Heating.  He then worked at Martin Marietta until ill heath forced him to retire. 
    He enjoyed hunting, fishing and wintering in Texas.  He was an avid Green Bay Packer fan.  He was a charter member of the Clear Lake Evening Lions and a member of the Clear Lake V.F.W.
     He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mary; son, Rick of Minneapolis, Minn.; daughters, Penny Howard of Ardmore, Okla., Kim (Bill) Lundgren, Ventura, and Stacy Howard and fiancé, Kevin Rucker, of Clear Lake; five grandchildren, Jacob Bonner, Kyle Lundgren, Derrick and Detra Hinton and Journey Rucker; two great-grandchildren, Dylan and Bailey Bonner; two brothers, Alan (Debra) Howard, Colfax, Iowa, and Dennis (Linda) Howard, Des Moines, Iowa; sister, Georgia (Wally) Black, Des Moines; brothers-in-law, Bob (Nancy) Flatebo, Rockford, Ill., Carrol (Judy) Flatebo, Eagle Grove, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Joanne (Mark) Howe, Beloit, Wis. and Donna Howard, Des Moines;  many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. 
    He was preceded in death by his grandparents; parents; three brothers, Frank, Larry and Dale; and many aunts and uncles.