Haven LaDale Sukert, affectionately known as "Buzz" to his family, passed away on June 26, 2026, in Conroe, Texas, at age 86. We can just hear him now saying, "Well, isn't that somethin'!"

The ninth of ten children, Haven was born on July 25, 1939, in Bemidji, Minnesota, to George and Hazelle Mae (Barclay) Sukert. In 1956, he moved with his mother to Oregon, where he completed his final two years of high school and graduated from Madison High School in Portland, OR in 1958.

A perpetual entrepreneur, Haven was always looking for opportunities. If he found none, he'd create them. If life handed him lemons, he would have planted trees to start an orchard. He was constantly thinking of ways to make people's lives easier. One of his greatest ideas came in the 1970s when he designed a self-watering flowerpot. That invention grew into a lifelong career that took him around the world, where he secured several patents for his designs.

Haven lived in several places throughout the United States, but for him, nothing compared to the warmth of Texas. It was there that he met and married Wilma Blackmon Joiner in 1978. Although they divorced some years later, they remained good friends until her death in 2021.

Haven found it easy to stay involved in the marketing of his inventions while making time for the things he enjoyed. He spent some time in Bend, Oregon, living near one of his sisters. Still physically active and always eager to help, he stayed busy working there as a handyman. He also enjoyed his sister's cooking. Haven loved to eat (but didn't love to cook) and somehow never seemed to gain a pound.

It was hard for him to slow down. When he moved back to Texas, he continued helping friends and neighbors with repairs and projects. Always ready to lend a hand, he kept tools in his truck until the day he died.

Haven loved being around people and had a contagious, head-back, wholehearted laugh. He was an exceptional storyteller and would laugh right along with you if you asked whether he'd taken a few creative liberties with the facts. He always saw the best in people and in every situation. Where others saw a glass half empty, Haven saw one three-quarters full. He was a friend to many, and many were proud to call him their friend. His closest companion was his little dog, Trouble. Haven loved to say, "Trouble and I are best friends!"

Haven was preceded in death by all nine of his siblings: brothers Jerry (Myrtle), Chuck (Willie), and Jack (Ardie) Warrington; sisters Gladys (Jack) Leitheiser, Lora (Bill) Jefferson, Helen (Don) Schei, Katie (Bob) O'Rourke, Pat (Chuck) Steele, and Marianne (Vic) Castellani. He will be dearly missed by his nieces and nephews, treasured friends, and of course, Trouble.

To his nieces and nephews, “Uncle Buzz” was a legend. We all grew up hearing stories of his unforgettable escapades. There has never been—and surely never will be—another quite like him.

Rest in peace, Uncle Buzz.

Notes of condolence may be sent to family at abeleins@gmail.com. Donations in Haven’s honor may be given to American Humane Society or a local animal rescue.