Michael Jay Havenstrite

Michael Jay Havenstrite of Cedar Falls, Iowa, lived his life with quiet strength, devotion, and a heart for service. Born in April 1943 to Beverly Wayne and Darlene (Miller) Havenstrite, he passed away on August 30th, leaving behind a legacy of family, friendship, community, and a profound love of the outdoors.

Michael's curiosity about people and the world carried him to the University of Northern Iowa, where he graduated in 1970 with a degree in Social Science. More than a diploma, his education shaped a life of understanding, compassion, and belief in people's ability to grow.

In 1969, Michael married the love of his life, Diana Koch. Together they built a marriage of 56 years, marked by love, loyalty, and partnership.

Guided by those values, Michael devoted his career to corrections and rehabilitation. As Director of the First Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, and earlier as a probation and parole supervisor, he worked daily with people at turning points in their lives. Colleagues admired his fairness, steadiness, and dedication to justice rooted in humanity. His influence on community corrections in Iowa endures.

In 1992, Michael was elected to the Cedar Falls City Council, where he served for almost a decade representing Ward I. Neighbors knew him as the councilman who truly listened and always put the good of the community first.

Beyond his public service, Michael found his greatest joy in nature. The Cedar River was his sanctuary, and for decades he traveled to Canada with lifelong friends on fishing trips that became cherished traditions. Those journeys were less about the fish and more about loyalty and friendship.

Michael was a friend you could always rely on — loyal, dependable, and generous with his time and his heart. His proudest role was at home, where he and Diana raised their sons and faced life's joys and sorrows hand in hand. He endured the heartbreak of losing James Michael Havenstrite in 1999 and Dr. Jon Jeremy Havenstrite in 2011, carrying their memories with tenderness and honoring them through the way he lived.

He will be remembered as a man of integrity, loyalty, and devotion — a husband and father beyond measure, a respected leader, the truest of friends, and a soul deeply connected to the natural world.

Michael is survived by his wife, Diana; granddaughters, Ellie and Natalie; daughter-in-law, Alana; brother, BJ Havenstrite (Pat) of Harrison, Arkansas; niece, Jennifer Duncan; extended family; dear friends; and the community that was fortunate to know him. He was preceded in death by his sons, James and Jon, and his sister, Sara Rumley.

Michael's funeral service will be held on Friday, September 12th, at 11:00 a.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls. Visitation will be from 10:00 AM until the time of service at the church on Friday, September 12th.  Memorials may be directed to Cedar Valley Hospice or St. John Lutheran Church .