On Sunday October 8, 2017, 3 days after her 94th birthday, Eleanor Marie Havens realized her greatest dream and is now “walking the streets of Glory” with Jesus.
Eleanor was the 3rd of 5 children born on the family homestead during the depression in rural Chanute, Kansas. She was the daughter of Florence and Hugo Larson. She spoke frequently about her youth milking cows and learned early on that sewing was one of the necessities of life. She always remained a proud Jayhawk girl from Kansas. “ROCK-CHALK JAYHAWK!” she would cry out.
She and her husband raised 3 children and lived in numerous places as Dr. Nels Havens pursued his career as a school superintendent.
The past 42 years, up to and through retirement, they resided in the Marana School District of north-west Tucson, Arizona. This included a year and a half spent as missionary helpers in Papua New Guinea for the Wycliffe Bible Translators. The Havens were long standing members of the New Life Bible Fellowship in Tucson. Many members of New Life will tell you that Eleanor was the first person who greeted them when they visited the church. Eleanor had a God given gift of hospitality and shared her gift of sewing.
Mrs. Havens was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Nels. She is survived by her son, Marvin (Sue) of Greer, South Carolina, and daughters, Marilyn (Don) Demijan of Burlington, Iowa and Norma (Bob) Havens-Belknap of Reno, Nevada. She is also survived by one brother, Harold Larson of Hoisington, Kansas, 4 grandchildren, Vanessa, Nick, Karin and Brian, 2 great-grandchildren, Athena and Justin and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Eleanor at New Life Bible Fellowship in Tucson on Saturday October 21, 2017 at 10 AM with a reception at the church immediately following the service.
A visitation will be held at the East Lawn Cemetery on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 1pm. Interment will follow the visitation at East Lawn Cemetery in Tucson on Friday, October 20, 2017 at 3pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made to Wycliffe Bible Translators for projects in Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea and New Life Bible Fellowship missionary fund. The family also requests your prayers that the love of the Lord would spread to the hearts of all.