Kathy Stamm Havener is 88 years old, and other than the time she spent earning a degree at Lake Erie College, she’s lived in the area her entire life. In fact, she recently shared that she currently lives “six driveways north of where I grew up.” As a long-time resident of the area, she’s seen a lot of changes, and has been shaped by so many experiences here.
Her dad ran Weber’s Hardware on Main Street, where her mom kept the books. Young Kathy grew up on Main Street, as part of what was affectionately referred to as the Main Street Munchkins. This was an idyllic time when Main Street was a quiet thoroughfare without much traffic. The adage that “It takes a Village” to raise a child was proven true, as family, friends, and neighbors kept an eye out for children. She and her friends knew they had to behave, because Mom and Dad would find out in short order if they didn’t.
She grew up playing in and around Main Street, ‘delivering mail’ into small drawers that held nuts and bolts at the hardware store, or having picnics at the cemetery with friends. She grew up an independent young lady, which she credits to her parents and the adults who influenced her. Whether in the community, at church, in 4H, and at school – she acknowledges her gratitude at the many opportunities she was afforded. In addition, as an only child, she had the opportunity to travel via touring car with her mother, train trips with her parents – even the opportunity to travel by airplane when she was in the first grade. These opportunities helped equip her with the spirit of adventure and the knowledge of her own abilities.
Throughout her childhood, the Cleveland-Mahoning Railroad (later the Erie and the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad) was an active element in the heart of the Mantua. While she wasn’t alive in 1935 for the Great Train Robbery in Garrettsville, she no doubt heard of the exploits as a small child.
She shared that many men would commute to jobs in Cleveland, taking the train to and from work each weekday. And upon high school graduation, it wasn’t uncommon for young ladies to commute to office jobs in the city as well. As a child, she took the train to Garrettsville to have lunch with her grandparents, returning home later that afternoon. Even as middle and high schoolers, Kathy and friends were able to head to Cleveland to shop, watch movies, and head home in time for dinner. The train provided opportunities for exploration and connection not only to nearby Garrettsville and Hiram, but all the way to Cleveland.
She graduated from Crestwood High School as one of 12 young ladies; there were 36 young men in her graduating class. Although she planned to be a dietician when she headed to what is now Lake Erie College, “Organic chemistry and (future husband) Don Havener changed her mind.” Shortly after college graduation and before her long-awaited wedding, her mother passed away. And although she had attended church regularly up to that point, she credits the difficult experience for bringing her to true faith.
She proudly shared that her husband was the ‘winningest wrestler at Hiram College.” Once she and Don were married, they began helping her father and his young siblings. Don began working with her father at Weber Hardware, and took over running the store when her dad retired.
Eventually, she and Don had two boys of their own. When they were young, and although she never intended to teach, she was offered a position teaching AM kindergarten. She qualified for a temporary teaching certificate due to a teacher shortage. Eventually, she became a certified teacher through Kent State, where she later earned her Masters Degree. She spent her teaching career at Crestwood Schools, where she was proud to teach in every building in the system.
Railroad train service ended in 1977 when Kathy was in her 40’s; the freedom and connection the railroad brought to the area dramatically suffered. Then, in 1985, Weber Hardware was completely destroyed by fire. “It brought Don to his knees,” Kathy acknowledged, as the family had lost everything but what was most important. She credits this difficult time with helping to build a firm foundation for Don’s faith, and for that reason, she’s grateful for this trying experience.
In spite of their trials and difficulties, Kathy and Don raised their boys hiking, biking, and family camping, including hikes along the Appalachian Trail. When Kathy and Don were empty nesters, they took long-distance bicycling trips to destinations in Minnesota, Boston, and the Outer Banks. Long before Mapquest and GPS, they planned their routes on secondary roads using maps from AAA. For gear, they loaded a tent, sleeping bags, a change of clothes, tea bags, and a small burner stove, grabbing meals along the route. For the return trip, they disassembled the bikes and packed them in bags for the flight home.
When Kathy was in her 60s, the former trainline became a rail to trail in 1998. And that’s when that same well-traveled route helped to foster revitalization in the area. Those days, instead of taking the train to have lunch with her grandparents in Garrettsville, Kathy was able to bike from Mantua to Garrettsville with her own grandchildren to grab lunch or ice cream. (She’s proud of her two sons and their wives, two grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.)
She credits the Headwaters Trail with helping her maintain strength and mobility in her 80s, as she typically walks for an hour each day. She begins early each morning, heading out prayerfully to what she refers to as her “green cathedral.’ As she heads out, she spends time meditating and praising God. She used the return path of each 2.5 mile walk in intercession with prayer requests.
And she credits Dan Tillet, Scott Downing, and Terry Tung with, “giving me back my friendly Village”. She notes that the trio not only helped Don find new life in Christ after the fire, they helped bring new life to Mantua through Restoration 44 Coffee.
And although she deals with arthritic knees and other issues that folks her age typically have, she credits her daily walks through the green cathedral along Headwaters Trail with helping her remain active, grateful, and grounded in faith.
