Javen Dane Church

Javen Dane Church was born on November 25, 2001. Javen passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early morning of Friday, May 11, 2018, from complications due to epilepsy. He was 16 years old and a sophomore at Paola High School. From the beginning, Javen was special. He was once described by one of his elementary school principals as a “Full Speed Ahead Kid.” He brought an infectious energy and excitement to everything he loved to do. Javen had many passions throughout his life. When he was younger, he loved race cars and dinosaurs. By the time he was 6, he knew all the dinosaur names and the name of every NASCAR driver and their number. Javen’s real passion was baseball. He could quote baseball players and their stats all day, and he would tell anyone and everyone that would listen, from his Great-Papaw Battles to the stranger sitting next to him at the Royals-Cardinals game. He is playing ball with the greats now. We so desperately wish we could see the look on his face as he walked on to that field in Heaven. Javen was a member of the Paola High School baseball and basketball teams and also played baseball with the Natural Baseball Academy in the summer. In recent years, Javen developed a passion for drama. He loved forensics and debate and was an active member of the drama department and Thespian Group 66 at Paola High School. Javen had a love for music that his Great-Papaw Battles said, “was in the genes”. He loved to sing and was a member of the high school choir. He had a beautiful voice and would spend hours on his computer singing and making music and videos.

Javen is preceded in death by his great-grandma and grandpa Sunny and Phyllis Battles and his great- grandma Thomason.

He is survived by his parents, Cody and Kristina Graber; his sister, Delaney Shea Graber; his brothers, Dylan Dean and Hayden Keith Graber; grandparents, Cliff and Teresa Church, and David and Robinette Graber; his great-grandfathers, Vaughn Church, and Tom Thomason; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Javen touched the lives of everyone he knew and was loved tremendously by those that knew him well. He will be greatly missed. The family will have a Celebration of Life Visitation at Lighthouse Presbyterian Church, 1402 E. 303rd St., Paola, KS from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Thursday, May 17, 2018. Graveside service will be at the Ulysses Cemetery in Ulysses, KS at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 21, 2018. In lieu of flowers and/or remembrance gifts to the family, please forward donations in his name to Paola High School to support the band/choir department and/or Thespian Troupe #66 in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant, Ulysses, Kansas 67880. Condolences may be posted at www.garnandfuneralhomes.com.