William Havens

 March 5, 1955 - October 20, 2007

                  
William we miss you!

William took the brave risk of joining my family and I in Shelton and then in Tumwater, WA in the fall of 1999 after living in Denver for many years.  We had just started to get to know each other after years of on and off contact.  He was beginning to get treatment for a couple of diseases that he had just been diagnosed with, not the least of these HIV and we both knew that we wanted to be close during this time. 

 

I have always appreciated, beyond words, how this community welcomed and supported William as well as my husband and I, but especially William.  He said very often that his life here was the best he had ever had.  He loved giving back to others with cooking, enjoying a good laugh, volunteering at UCAN, and was such a good confidant. 

 

He was the first in our family to begin to look at the confusion in our childhood, and encouraged all of us in the process of facing our truth.  As my other brothers and I have talked of William we have come to realize how strong he really was.  He was truly committed to living and in the end the spirit of him kept moving on as his body fell away. 

 

Thank you all very much,

Ruth Dills - William’s sister