Barney Henry Havens

Dad was born Harold Henry Havens on November 4, 1913 on a farm near the small town of Steuben located in South Western Wisconsin. As dad grew up, he did chores on the family farm, went to school in nearby Steuben, loved to hunt and fish, play baseball, and run a trap line for extra money. Dad rode a big black horse everywhere he went and was given the nickname of “Barney” after a cartoon character who also rode a big black horse. The nickname stuck, so Dad later legally changed his name to Barney. After his mother died in 1931, dad joined the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and worked on many projects in Northern Wisconsin. In 1939, he joined the US Army in Texas, and after training in California, where he met his future father-in-law, his first assignment was the 4th Infantry at Fort George Wright in Spokane, WA. The 4th Infantry was soon assigned to duty in Alaska in preparation for the war effort. Dad became an aerial photographer in the Army Air Corps and flew many combat reconnaissance missions from the airfield located on the island of Adak, in the Aleutian Chain, where he remained until the spring of 1943. Upon leaving the war zone, he stopped in Anchorage to marry our mother, Florence Richardville, and together they returned to the states. In 1943, dad was assigned to Denver on recruiting duty and from there was sent to Panama in 1945 to do aerial mapping of South America. He left Panama in 1948 and was assigned to Fairchild Air Force Base where he retired from the military in 1964. He became a mail carrier for the US Postal Service retiring in 1978. Upon retirement, dad traveled, spent winters in Yuma, AZ, and pursued his hobbies. Dad remained in the family home until his death, surrounded by his family, his hand in ours as he passed on peacefully to be with Jesus, our mother, and all of his other friends and family that have preceded him. His loving children, son, Joe (Gail) Havens of Colbert; daughters, Laura (Marion) Puseman of Airway Heights, Donna (Curt) Hollowell of Colbert, Vyanna (Don) Seaman of Mead; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren survive him. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, any memorials be given in his name to the “Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund” at www.cfsrf.org or Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund PO Box 3968 Gaithersburg, MD 20885-3968 1-301-685-3421 Please note on your check or e-mail your funds are in memorial of MSgt. Barney H. Havens Spokane, WA. Visitation will be 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Saturday, September 26 and Monday, September 28 at Riplinger Funeral Home 4305 N. Division Spokane, WA. Funeral service with military honors will be 1:00PM Tuesday, September 29 in the Sunset Mausoleum Chapel on the grounds of Fairmount Memorial Park Cemetery.