Frank Estus Havens

Frank Estus Havens, born January 23, 1927, went home to Heaven on October 12, 2016. He was preceded in death by parents and siblings and his wife of 60 years, Betty (Riley).

He is survived by his brother Charles Havens of Bath, Indiana, his daughter Karen (Tim) Long of Middletown, his son Michael (Robyn) Havens of North Augusta, South Carolina, 5 grandchildren; Tamara (Rob) Lykins of Monroe; Sean (Brittany) Havens of North Augusta, SC; Adam (Rebecca) Long of Middletown; David (Stacy) of Rochester, NY; and Nicholas Havens of North Augusta, SC.; and 12 great-grandchildren; Meghan McCarter, Chandler Long, Chloe' Long, Colton McCarter, Marissa Lykins, Leif Lykins, Liam Lykins, Layla Havens, Julia Long, Brexton Havens, Luxeton Havens, and Aubrey Long.

Visitation and funeral will be Saturday, October 15, 2016, at Grace Baptist Church, 3023 Union Road, Franklin, Ohio. Visitation will be held from 11am - 1pm with the funeral immediately following at 1pm. Please select Share Memory to leave a message for Frank's family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Frank's memory may be made to either Middletown Christian Schools or Camp Chautauqua.

Frank accepted Jesus as his Savior at the age of 24 when he and his wife, Betty, were visited by Pastor Howard Sears from Grace Baptist Church, and they were faithful members and supporters of the church. Through the years he and his wife served in the Grace Baptist Church as youth leaders and Awana leaders and taught a Sunday School class. They also served for over 30 years as volunteers at Camp Chautauqua. Frank served on the church deacon board and Middletown Christian Schools School Board numerous times over the years. He was very involved in the beginning of MCS and in its history.

Frank named the 4 most important things in his life as family, Grace Baptist Church, Camp Chautauqua, and Middletown Christian Schools. He will be missed by his family, but not mourned because his faith has become sight, and we will meet again in Heaven. One of his last expressed concerns was for people who do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior. That included his doctors and nurses who took such excellent care of him during this sudden and final illness, as well as his friends, many of whom are here today.

Please do not reject God's offer of forgiveness and eternal life. It makes all the difference as you live and when you come to the end of this earthly existence. II Corinthians 5: 1, 6-8 states "For we know that if our earthly house… were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens….Therefore we are CONFIDENT, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith and not by sight:) We are CONFIDENT, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

That last verse expresses well Dad's last wish. He wanted to be absent from the body and home with the Lord. He is there now.