August 26, 1936 – October 18, 2026

Howard “Rusty” Hamer, 90, of Nevada City, passed away at home on October 18, 2026, surrounded by his family. He was known to everyone as Rusty.

Rusty was born in Orange, New Jersey, and grew up in California’s San Fernando Valley, the son of an American Airlines pilot. He studied industrial engineering at the University of Southern California and spent 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as a navigator, including a tour in Thailand during the Vietnam War. He later worked for Lockheed in Sunnyvale.

A lifelong mechanic and tinkerer, Rusty built his own airplane in his garage, a project that took two years, and he often flew it to visit family. He was best known for the day the engine failed over Highway 97 in Oregon and he landed on a moving flatbed truck, a story he told for years afterward. He loved cars, from an Austin-Healey to a Tesla, as well as dogs, cooking, and coaching soccer. He volunteered his electrical skills to Habitat for Humanity, and cooked every week for people without homes. He was a longtime member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. He was a devoted grandfather; his grandchildren remembering him for his wit, laugh, and smile.

Rusty is survived by his brother, Richard; his children, Greg, Jeff, and Kristen; eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda, in 2024.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday, December 8, at 2 pm at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Nevada City.