The city of Athens lost a cherished music icon who struck a cord in the hearts of generations of the city’s residents on Wednesday, Feb. 12, as Dan Havely passed away at the age of 80, according to an obituary from Limestone Chapel Funeral Home.

Havely’s remarkable career spanned nearly five decades, serving as the main driving force behind Athens High School’s renowned marching, connect and jazz bands from 1966 until 2000. After retiring from Athens High School, Havely went on to found the Athens State University Community Band, which he conducted for 13 years. This endeavor allowed him to share his innate passion for music with musicians of all ages, bridging together bands made up of various backgrounds to perform on the grandest of stages.

But Havely’s influence went far beyond the confines of a classrooms; he left an ineligible mark on the lives of countless students and community members who got to know him as a mentor, role model and undeniable source of inspiration.

“He garnered a larger than life persona in the eyes of many of his former students, the news of his passing came as a shock to me because he always felt immune to basic human things like death,” Athens City Councilwoman Dana Henry, one of Havely’s former band students from 1982-1986, told The News Courier. “He took on legendary status to many of us. The band made up a large percentage of the student population, because he made it an undeniable institution that almost every student wanted to join. When we would go to competitions against schools much larger than us, we would have no fear of losing because we knew we were the only school who had Havely leading us. He may not have been an imposing person physically but he commanded so much respect from the students and their parents. He will be dearly missed in our home and in the homes of hundreds of others.”

Henry said Havely dedicated himself to shaping the musical talents of countless students, instilling in them a passion for excellence and a love for music  fostered by someone who spent a lifetime at his craft. When news came out about his passing, numerous of his former students expressed what Havely meant to their lives growing up and into their adult lives.

“For as many students that came through his program, he would take it upon himself to get to know each and every one of us,” Henry said. “He knew us, he knew our families and he knew the situations in which we came from. He had a rare and remarkable gift as an educator to know what we needed to be better. When he retired, no one knew what was going to happen at Athens High School and their band program, that’s how much influence he had.”

Havely’s commitment to perfection was legendary, according to Henry, and he demanded the highest standards be met from his students — pushing them to strive for excellence in every performance. His approach paid off, as his bands were consistently among the best in the state, earning top honor at several competitions in his time with Athens High School.

“There is no amount of words that can describe just how important he was to the band program here,” Ty Parker, current Athens High School band director, said. “We only get so much time here on this planet, and he selflessly dedicated 34 years of his life investing in this program. He is the reason why we are able to do all the things we do. When we dedicated the band field in his honor, you could just see the outpouring of love with the number of his former students that showed up. There is no question that he knew how much we loved and appreciated him here at Athens High School. He was always very supportive of me and he was truly a role model to me. Even though I am in his shoes now, I am no where close to the caliber of teacher that he was. He is leaving a hole in our hearts that will never, and could never, be filled by anyone else.”

Throughout his career, Havely received numerous accolades and awards — including his induction into the Alabama Band Directors Hall of Fame. Parker noted that he is currently working on commissioning a piece in Havely’s memory that the band would like to debut at the state band convention.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Limestone Chapel at 3 p.m., with visitation beginning at 1 p.m. According to his obituary, in lieu of flowers, please make all donations to either Athens High School Band or Athens State Community Band.