( CNN ) -- California public television icon Huell Howser has died , his longtime station said Monday , an announcement that set off a flood of heartfelt condolences from his fans in the Golden State and beyond . He was 67 . The Tennessee native quietly retired in late November after 25 years in which he became a household name in his adopted state as host of `` California 's Gold '' and other televised travelogues on KCET . He died Sunday night at his home in the Los Angeles area , said Ryan Morris of Huell Howser Productions . `` Huell elevated the simple joys and undiscovered nuggets of living in our great state , '' KCET said in a statement . `` ... Most importantly , he reminded us to find the magic and wonderment in our lives every day . '' Howser grew up in Tennessee , graduated from the University of Tennessee , worked on a U.S. senator 's staff and served in the U.S. Marine Corps , according to a biography posted on his company website . He then launched his television career at WSM in Nashville . He moved on to a job hosting a magazine-style TV series at WCBS in New York before landing in Los Angeles in 1981 as a reporter for KCBS . Six years later , Howser joined forces with KCET , a public television station , to produce a program known as `` Videolog '' showcasing the stories of all types of people . That led to `` California 's Gold '' and six other series about life in the Golden State , including `` Visiting with Huell Howser , '' `` Road Trip with Huell Howser , '' `` California 's Golden Parks , '' `` California 's Green , '' `` California 's Water '' and `` Downtown . '' In addition to California , his shows could be seen in Oregon , Nevada and Tennessee . Less than 20 minutes after KCET posted news of Howser 's death on its Facebook page , more than 150 fans had posted responses mourning his loss and remembering his impact on California and their lives . They remembered him as `` amazing , '' a `` favorite '' and `` one-of-a-kind talent '' who also possessed a `` kind curiosity . '' One man said that news of Howser 's death `` brought tears to my eyes like I lost a friend , '' and another remarked that `` Sunday evenings will not be the same . '' `` So I guess God needed a host for 'Heaven 's Gold , ' '' wrote another Facebook commenter . `` We will miss you , but you will live on ... and on . '' People we lost in 2012 .
Huell Howser grew up in Tennessee and worked there and in New York . He came to California in the 1980s and became known for his travelogues . His books are still read by many people, but he is not as well known now as when they were first published.