Son of Henry and Caroline "Lena" (Schuneman) Haave. He was born on the family farm east of Petersburg in rural Boone County, NE. He went to kindergarten at Boone County School District 56 before moving with his family, then attended District 62 through the 8th grade. He attended Petersburg High School, but had to quit due to bad weather and not being able to get to town. He started working at age 14. The family attended the Lutheran Church in Petersburg, where he helped to dig the basement with buckets and shovels until the hole was large enough to get a horse and cart under the church. He then started working for the neighbors putting up hay. He joined the U.S. Army on April 6, 1945, served in WWII in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign, and was honorably discharged on December 30, 1946. When he returned home, he met his future wife at a dance at Raeville, NE; he married Darlene “Dolly” Ann Wilks at Zion Lutheran Church in Albion, NE on December 21, 1948. They lived between Albion and Petersburg. Shortly after their wedding, the winter storm of 1948 started.; he walked 5 1/2 miles to Petersburg to get supplies and groceries, and was flown back to the house in an airplane with skis. He was dryland farmer, along with raising livestock. In 1981, they retired and moved to Albion. He was a member of the Immanuel-Zion Lutheran Church, rural Albion, NE; he was instrumental in helping get the church rebuilt after it was destroyed by lightning. On July 5, 2016, they moved together to the Good Samaritan Society in Albion, NE. He was preceded in death by his parents, and two brothers: Don and Gayl. He is survived by his wife Darlene of Albion, NE; three children: Doug (Amy) Haave of Lincoln, NE; Steve (Cindy) Haave of Arvada, CO; Sandy (Jim) Krohn of Albion, NE; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren: Krista (Randy) Hooker and children Khloe and Rhylan of Humphrey, NE; Kurt (Anita) Krohn and children Katelyn, Lane and Levi of Petersburg, NE; Josh Haave of New York, NY; Adam (Kate) Haave and children Lucas and Kinley of Rapid City, SD; Zach Haave of Arvada, CO; Megan Haave of Roeland Park, KS; Tina (John) Novak and daughter Laykin of Lincoln, NE; Eric Haave of Westminster, CO; Andrea Haave of Wheat Ridge, CO; one brother Dean* (Roseanne) Haave of Golden, CO; one sister-in-law Doris Haave of Berthoud, CO.

*Note: Dean Robert Haave, b. 2 Feb 1938, Albion, NE - d. 18 Apr 2019, Barcelona, Spain (while on vacation)