Kaye Phillip Havner, age 90, of Grant City, Missouri departed his life on Monday, October 4, 2021 with his wife, Evanell, and his daughter, Melody, by his side.
Kaye was born on the wintery morning of January 16, 1931 in Denver, Missouri to Henry Parman Havner and Dorris Regina (Oehler) Havner. Kaye was the first of three children which included his brother, Jerry Glen and his sister, Rose Ilene.
Kaye’s educational endeavors started out in a one room schoolhouse near his boyhood home near Denver, Missouri and was completed by graduating from Grant City High School in the spring of 1949. He then went on to enlist in the United States Navy – Construction Battalion (“Seabees”) where he first attended basic training at the Naval Station in Great Lakes, Illinois, then skill specific training at Port Hueneme, California and final assignment as a personal driver and assistant to a Rear Admiral in Naples, Italy. Kaye's military service spanned from 1950 through 1954.
Kaye married his high school sweetheart, Betty Berneice Bowlin, of Worth, Missouri, on October 15, 1950. Their first child, Charles Eugene, was born in 1954 while Kaye was still stationed in Naples, Italy and their second child, Melody Kay, was born in 1958 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Early years for the young family were spent on a farm outside Denver, Missouri. Then, Kaye and Betty moved their family into Grant City where Kaye was working for Home Oil & Implement Company.
From 1964 to 1970, Kaye and Betty owned and operated a laundromat just off the southeast corner of the Grant City square. In 1966, Kaye went into partnership with Lyndon Thompson and they established T & H Implement which operated in Grant City and surrounding farming communities for the next 25 years. The John Deere dealership, implements, parts and farm equipment repair provided employment opportunities for Kaye and Betty as well as many fine young men from the same communities throughout the years.
Following Kaye’s retirement from the implement dealership in 1991, he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Worth County Convalescent Center for several years as well as serving as the Worth County Presiding Commissioner from 1995 to 1998.
On January 1, 1996, Kaye’s first wife of 45 years, Betty, passed away at their home in Grant City.
Two years later, on March 28, 1998, Kaye married Evanell Lovell Bunker, originally of Bethany, Missouri, at a private ceremony in Branson, Missouri. Kaye and Evanell returned to Grant City to spend the next 23 years together traveling throughout the continental United States by car or by one of Kaye’s favorite past-times – riding motorcycles.
Kaye loved his family, career, church, motorcycling and, most recently, mowing his and Evanell’s expansive lawn.
Kaye was preceded in death by his parents, his sister and his first wife, Betty. He is survived by his current wife, Evanell, 2 children – Dr. Charles Havner (and Cathy) of Linwood, Kansas and Melody Havner Allen (and Harold “Tom”) of Lakewood, Colorado, 5 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. He is also survived by Evanell’s 3 children – Carol Ann Moore (and Jim) of Polo, Missouri, Connie Sue Eales (and Chris) of Excelsior Springs, Missouri, John Lee Bunker (and Jewelee) of Aldrich, Missouri, 7 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren. Lastly, Kaye is survived by his younger brother, Jerry, of St. Joseph, Missouri, his brother-in-law, William Henderson Bowlin of Kansas City, Missouri, as well as a multitude of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and other family members.
Funeral services for Kaye will be held in Grant City at the Prugh Dunfee Funeral Home on Friday, October 8th with visitation from 1 to 2 pm, services at 2 pm and military graveyard services immediately following at the Grant City Cemetery where Kaye will be laid to rest. The Reverend Jeff Jaekley of the Grant City United Methodist Church will officiate. Live streaming services will be available for 24 hours following the 2 pm service on the Prugh Dunfee web site www.prugh-dunfeefuneralhome.com.
Donations and memorials in Kaye’s honor may be made to either the Grant City Cemetery or the Worth County Convalescent Center.
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