Gene Havens, 83

Gene Havens, 83, passed away in Libby on Aug. 18, 2021. He was born Nov. 16, 1937, in Conrad.

He was born to Jessie and Winifred (Kirsch) Havens. He and his two siblings were later raised by their maternal grandparents, Matt and Pearl Kirsch. Gene was a 1955 graduate of Conrad High School. While in high school, Gene played many sports, including football, basketball, track and baseball. Gene attended the University of Montana Northern in Havre. He later transferred to the University of Montana in Missoula, graduating in 1963 with a Bachelor of Science in pharmaceuticals.

At the time, he was married to Bobbie Carabin and they had three children. They moved to Libby as a family in 1965, where he took employment at Rexall Drug for 19 years.

In 1984, Gene opened Gene’s Pharmacy at the Fred Thompson building. He married his soul mate and the love of his life, Donna Lukes, in 1985. They — along with Gene's son Tom — incorporated together in the pharmacy business. They rapidly outgrew that location and later moved to the storefront on Mineral Avenue that we all knew and loved until it sold out in 1997. Throughout his career as a pharmacist, he did pharmaceutical needs for the hospital, care center and many home deliveries for people in need.

Gene enjoyed many hobbies: He coached Little League, Babe Ruth along with American Legion teams for 18 years. He collected baseball cards and coins. He also was an avid woodworker in his retirement years. He spent many days out in the stubble fields of Conrad hunting gophers and pheasants with his son, Tom, brother, Jim, and brother-in-law, Roger (Badger). (Some may say they were just putting miles on the truck.)

Gene is survived by his wife, Donna, of 36 years; a sister, Carol, and brother, Jim (Claire), and their families, all of Conrad; children, Mary ( Kevin) Miller of Libby, Tom (Glenda) Havens of Kalispell, Matt (Sally) Havens of Trout Creek, Sue Riley of Libby and Tom (Julie) Lukes of Spokane, Wash.; grandchildren, Monika and (Casey) Riley of Libby, Zach Havens of Kalispell, Courtney (Adam) Anderson of Libby, Mitchell (Kaylyn) Lukes of Spokane, WA., Shay Miller of Libby and Kaitlyn Havens of Trout Creek, Allen Havens (Kelsi) of Kansas, and Darrin Havens of Trout Creek; great-grandchildren, Riley Havens of Kalispell, Payton, Aspen and Kimber Anderson of Libby, Fatih Riley of Libby, Franklin of Spokane, Wash., Aimee, Zoey and Addie Havens of Trout Creek, and Mykl and Lynzie Havens.

Gene’s service will be held at 11 a.m., Aug. 26 at the Christ Lutheran Church in Libby. Arrangements are by Schnackenberg Funeral Home in Libby. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.