Mass of Christian Burial for Ryan John Havelka, age 29, of Hettinger will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, August 8th, 2008 at the Roberts-Reinke Auditorium of the Hettinger High School. Fr. Chad Gion will officiate with burial to follow at the St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery in Gladstone, ND. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Thursday, August 7, at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger and one hour prior to the services at the Auditorium. A rosary/vigil service will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday evening at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Hettinger.


Ryan was born in Dickinson, ND on September 14, 1978. He was baptized at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Gladstone, ND. He spent his youth actively involved in various activities including hockey, football, track, hunting, FFA and horseback-riding; he was an eldest son who always looked out for his two younger brothers. He attended St. Wenceslaus Grade School and Trinity High School where he was very popular with his classmates and from which he graduated in 1997.


Ryan went on to college at North Dakota State University where he majored in Animal and Range Science. After graduating in 2001, Ryan went to work for the Natural Resources Conservation Service working in Burleigh, Ward, Logan, Oliver, and Adams County. Soon after he met and fell in love with Patricia Kautzman.


The two were meant to be together. After traveling thousands of miles between Fargo to Dickinson to see Patty, Ryan decided it might be best to get married. He proposed to her by attaching lights to a fence along I-94 that was visible not only to anyone driving by but neighbors for miles around. They were married on August 31, 2002 at St. Vincent's Church in Mott, ND and as a testament to the many friends Ryan's life touched, they celebrated their wedding with a dance in which over 600 guests were present.


In 2004 the couple moved to Napoleon where Ryan was named a District Conservationist and the couple had their first child, Anna Gabrielle. Not long after they relocated to Hettinger where they settled into the community and were blessed to have two more daughters, Olivia Ann and Erica Marie.


Ryan's daughters and wife were his life. His daughters remember him as someone who loved to come home at night and eat popcorn and watch movies, to rock them to sleep, to take them out on the pontoon, to make campfires, roast marshmallows, gaze up at the stars and give them the best 'big kisses' around.


Ryan was a committed and faithful member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church and belonged to the Knights of Columbus, Hettinger Lion's Club, Society for Range Management and the Soil and Water Conservation Society of America. He enjoyed being with family, working outdoors, gardening, hunting, camping, branding, horseback-riding and doing house projects. He was known for his love and respect for the land and his willingness to help his neighbors.


Ryan has been described as generous, big-hearted, loving and devoted; funny, giving, and authentic; strong-willed, straight-forward and reliable; a burly, strong, earthy, and smart man. He was a special, authentic, one-of-a-kind, outgoing, and community-minded person. He is considered a hero to us all.


Grateful for having shared in Ryan's life are his parents, Ron and Desiree Havelka, Dickinson, ND; wife, Patricia, Hettinger, ND; three daughters Anna, Olivia and Erica, all of Hettinger, ND; two brothers Brent (Amy) and their children, Devon and Anthony, Grand Forks, ND and Kale, Dickinson, ND; grandmother, Elvira Martin, Dickinson; his father and mother-in-law, Ben and Maureen Kautzman, Mott, ND; four brothers-in-law, Michael (Adrienne) Kautzman, Golden Valley, MN, Steve Kautzman, South St. Paul, MN, Brian Kautzman, Fargo, ND and Blaise Kautzman, Mott, ND; and one sister-in-law, Jill (Travis) Koch and their children, Sabrina and Sadey, West Fargo, ND.


Ryan was preceded in death by his grandfather, Anton Martin and his grandparents Joe and Tillie Havelka.


In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established for his daughters' education at the Gate City Bank in Hettinger, ND. Ryan would also love to have people plant grass or trees in memory of his love of the land.