Hoyt Wallan Haven

Hoyt was Chuck’s only brother and he was eight years older, Hoyt was born February 10, 1921 in Sebring, Florida, Their Dad was a railroad man and at that time he worked out of Sebring.

They later purchased the property in West Lake Wales, which at that time was Lake Wales, they lived in a tent on the property till Papa and Mr Lamb built the first four rooms of the main house.

After Chuck was a little older he wanted to tag along wherever his big brother went, but big brother didn't like this very much. A great comic strip at that time was titled Worrywart, and it was about a big and little brother; so Hoyt started calling Chuck Worrywart.

Over the years Worrywart was shortened to Wart and to this day Chuck is known in Cedar Key as Wart by the older folks.

Hoyt always had a job of some sort and he did all the mechanic work on the cars that the family owned.

Hoyt and a lady friend Frances

He joined the United States Navy when he was 19 and served for thirty years before retiring. During WWII he served aboard P T Boats in the South Pacific. 

Not long ago I read a book titled “Sea of Thunder”.The author was Evan Thomas, in the book were maps of some of the battles in the Leyte Gulf. In one of the images it showed six PT Boats in that battle, he was aboard one of these six Boats in this battle.

He was never stationed aboard the same PT Boat as John F Kennedy, but the fleet of PT Boats was not all that large and he did know him personally. They were stationed on the same island much of the time.

After World War II ended, he served during the Korean Conflict, and then he was transferred to Turkey and he was there for a long time.

After Turkey he was transferred to Milton, Florida and he met the woman that he later married and she also had thirty years in the Navy when she retired. Hoyt retired as a Chief Auxillaryman.

When he retired he returned to West Lake Wales, and he and his wife Abby lived here until they both passed on.

Hoyt died of cancer April 10, 1976 in Lake Wales Hospital, as many servicemen have died from cancer because they are exposed to asbestos on a large scale during their years in service. Abby passed a few years later.

Left to right Walter Sterns Gussie Collins Haven Sterns,
Hoyt Haven, Bernice Collins , Grandma Minnie Collins
Hoyt loved Cedar Key, and visited every opportunity to fish and harvest oysters and other seafood for the family table. He never lived there though like Chuck did, but this is where he wanted to be buried because many of the ancestors are also resting here.