White Funeral Home
400 First Street West
Independence, Iowa 50644

Independence– Burnell “Bernie” Kaye Haven, 90, of Independence, Iowa, passed away peacefully on December 14, 2019 surrounded by family.

Born October 27, 1929 in Cresco, Iowa, the son of Herbert Percy Haven and Gladys Jeanette Williams. He graduated in 1947 from Cresco High and attended one year at the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. During High School he lettered all four years in football, basketball, and baseball. He joined the United States Navy, attended boot camp in San Diego, spent a few weeks at Corpus Christi, Texas, attended metalsmith school in Memphis, Tennessee and then was assigned to NAS Alameda. The Korean War broke out, so they loaded up mothballed airplanes and headed to Yokosuka, Japan, setting speed records twice aboard the USS Boxer CV-21 Aircraft Carrier, the ship he served aboard 27 months. A fire broke out on August 5, 1952 killing nine men as aircraft were destroyed and the carrier was damaged. He was honorably discharged in October 1952.

Burnell became a member of the Iowa State Patrol in 1953 and was stationed in Independence, Iowa. On May 16, 1954, he and the former Patricia L. Nielsen were married in Independence. He was named Trooper of the Year 1971, the first award of this kind to be bestowed upon an Iowa Highway Trooper. He served 32 years on the patrol. His father Percy Haven was a long-time Sheriff of Howard County.

Bernie enjoyed golf, hunting, target shooting, horseshoes and boating earlier in his life. Later in his life he enjoyed traveling, visiting friends and family and he loved music. One of his highlights was attending the all four sessions of the Masters Golf Tournaments with his two sons.  He enjoyed watching college football and basketball and attended two Final Four tournaments. He was an avid dog lover. He was a 50 yr member of Julien Fields Masonic Lodge No 551, Farley IA, Aholiab Chapter No. 21, Kenneth Commandery No. 32, and El Kahir Shrine.

Bernie was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years plus, Pat, two sons, Jeffrey K. Haven (Brenda) of Plano, TX and Matthew B. Haven (Judy) of Cedarburg, WI. His grandchildren Courtney Haven (Andy Collins)- Denver, CO; Cory Haven- Tacoma, WA; Elisabeth Haven Tracht (Dan)- Frisco, TX; Katherine Haven- Orlando, FL. One sister Helene Haven Hammond- Rochester, MN; nephew Rob Hammond- Okoboji, IA; and niece Jane Kipling (Gary)- Saint Paul, MN.

Services will be held on Dec 28, 2019, with Visitation 9-11 AM at Immanuel Lutheran Church, followed by Memorial Service at 11 AM (at the church) and Grave Side Service at Mount Hope Cemetery, Independence, IA.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hope Lodge, Rochester MN or the Inpatient Hospice Unit at St. Luke’s, Cedar Rapids IA.