Fair Haven Fire Department Remembers Former Chief Havens

FAIR HAVEN, NJ — Francis Dwight Havens, 74, a former chief and 53-year member of the Fair Haven Fire Department, died Feb. 21. He lived in Jonesborough, Tenn.

The Fire Department shared Havens' obituary with the public on its Facebook site, confirmed Chief Richard Brister, Fair Haven Fire Department.

According to the obituary, Havens was born to Althea and Clarence Havens in Red Bank. At a young age he fell in love with fishing, a pastime he enjoyed with his grandfather, father, and would share with his children, his obituary says.

After graduating from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, he began a career drafting for a national engineering consulting group.

During that time he also served as a volunteer firefighter with the Fair Haven and West Long Branch Fire departments. His time with these departments filled him with a sense of pride that he would always carry with him. He moved up the ranks at Fair Haven, earning the title of chief, before moving to West Long Branch.

When Havens wasn’t working at the drafting table, firefighting, or fishing he was driving road rallies with the Wing & Bonnet Club, where he earned many first place awards.

His mechanically inclined abilities, combined with his strengths in drafting and numbers, benefited him greatly as a general contractor after relocating his family to Tennessee.

An intelligent man, who loved nature, fishing, and old cars, he was always willing to share stories of his life experiences. If he wasn’t working on a motor or mower, or building boats, you could find him out on Watauga.

Havens is survived by his children and their spouses, Christopher; David and his wife Tammy; Kathleen and her husband Troy; and his grand-children Krystian, Ellie, Nevaeh, Iliana, and Cahan.

Services for Havens will be privately held by the family. Condolences may be sent to the family through the Memorial Funeral Chapel website: www.memorialfcelizabethton.com. The obituary can be found here: https://www.memorialfcelizabethton.com/obituary/francis-havens. A Memorial Photo Gallery is here.