Donovan C. Havekost

Donovan C. Havekost

February 6, 1927 – March 7, 2022

Donovan C. Havekost was born February 6, 1927, in Coleridge, Nebraska to Henry and Emma Havekost. He moved to Hooper, Nebraska in his early teens and graduated from Hooper High School in 1945. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in December 1945 and was stationed at Fort Knox until his discharge in 1946. He attended Midland Lutheran College where he met his future wife, Catherine. He then transferred to Southeast Community College in Milford, Nebraska where he received a degree for Sheet Metal Mechanics. He married Catherine on December 5, 1948. Donovan and Catherine moved to Omaha and had four children: Marilyn, Donna, Mark, (deceased at birth), and Cindy. During the summers of 1952 and 1953, Don helped build army barracks at Thule Air Force Base in Greenland, and then built his family a home in Omaha in 1958. Catherine passed away in 1995. Soon after, Don met Joan, and they were married on May 17, 1997. Don and Joan loved to travel. Together they saw Europe, Canada, China, Israel, the Caribbean, and the United States, including a long road trip to Alaska.

Throughout his life, Don was active with church events, family and cousin activities, the Sheet Metal Workers’ Union where he held offices and taught apprentice classes, and he always had a camera in his hand. His love of photography led him to own a photography studio in Ogallala, Nebraska for 10 years. He had a love of music, dancing, Husker football, water skiing, and woodworking. He was also close to his brothers-in-law, Jim and Donald, and sister-in-law, Lois, as well as a large extended family of cousins and Joan’s family.

Jesus called this soft, gentle soul home to Heaven on March 7, 2022, after a brief illness. Don was dearly loved by his entire family and friends and will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Emma (Hunteman) Ottoman; father, Henry Havekost; infant son, Mark; wife, Catherine (Sudman) Havekost.  He is survived by his wife, Joan Havekost Jones; daughters: Marilyn Lamb (Charles), Donna Thomas (Al Edmunds), and Cindy Havekost; grandchildren:  Jackie Lamb, Megan Lamb-Meyer (John), Jennifer Myslajek (Scott), Michelle Thomas, and David Thomas; great-grandchildren: Linden Meyer and Bryce Myslajek; stepchildren: Renee Hofeldt (Ray), Dan Jones, Melanie Jones, Terry Jones, and Myron Jones (Pat); step-grandchildren; step-great-grandchildren; and step-great-great-grandchildren.

MEMORIAL SERVICE: Monday, March 28^th at 12noon at King of Kings Lutheran Church.  Interment: Monday, 2:30pm at Evergreen Memorial Park with military honors by Millard American Legion Post 374 and VFW Post 8334.   Memorials are suggested to the Sheet Metal Workers International Association Apprenticeship Scholarship and Alzheimer’s Association.

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To view a live broadcast of the Memorial Service, please go to www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “View Live Cast” button on the home page.