Don Havens passed away at his Gilroy home on Friday, December 30, 2022, at the age of 89.  He was born in Olympia, Washington, the third child of George Smith Havens and Lucia Jones Havens.  Raised and educated in Gilroy, he graduated from Gilroy High School in 1951 where he was a forward on the GHS championship basketball team.  He continued his love of basketball by later becoming a basketball referee for adult basketball leagues.  He met his wife Marilee at a church youth meeting and they were married on December 6, 1953.  He served in the US Air Force during the Korean War and was stationed at Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he taught teletype maintenance classes.  Their two eldest children were born during that time.  Upon discharge from the Air Force, Don and Marilee returned to California, and Don returned to his typesetter job at The Gilroy Dispatch, and their two youngest children were born.  Don put his newspaper experience to work in a new position as salesman for Burke Rubber Company in San Jose, and later at the Bingham Company in San Leandro, selling rubber rollers for printing presses.  He won Salesman of the Year several times, and clients throughout the northwest heard all his fishing stories!  Don loved to fish since he was a young boy, first around Gilroy, then in Wyoming, and his favorite place, the Klamath River in northern California.  He organized an annual fishing/camping trip for himself and his fishing buddies, which later included his sons and sons-in-law.  He and Marilee loved visiting friends and relatives, and meeting new people.  He loved gardening, going to the Garlic Festival and local restaurants, playing cards, and visiting friends.  He's survived by his wife of 69 years, Marilee, four children – Dawn Duncan (Tracy), George (Maria), Gregg (Mary), and Debra Mercado (Javier); five grandchildren – Jim Chavez (Nicole), Kira Vander Zanden (Gregg), Marisa Fitch (Stephen), Monica Mercado (Alejandro Artiga-Purcell), and Cadigal Havens; two great-grandchildren – Kaylie and Antonia.