Lynda (Sharpnack) Havens

Lynda Sharpnack Havens, 60, passed away suddenly at home on July 3, 2012. Lynda, a lifelong Indianapolis resident graduated from Lawrence Central High School in 1969 and earned her Bachelor's degree from Butler University in 1973, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. Lynda's father, Harry Sharpnack, introduced Lynda to the excitement of the Indy 500 when she was a girl. Lynda fell in love with racing and spent over 30 years working in and around motorsports. She worked for several IndyCar teams as both a media relations representative and as a timing and scoring crew member. She was employed as a media relations professional for numerous racing venues around the U.S. as well as the American LeMans Series. Lynda was proud to have helped found the Indy 500 News Bureau, providing content for media outlets worldwide about her beloved Indy 500 and the competing drivers. She was proud to have been a leader in the News Bureau again for the 2012 race. Lynda was introduced to the beauty of Alaska by becoming a friend of and dog handler for competitors in the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, and was able to travel to Alaska for multiple starts. In the early days of the internet, she provided constant updates on the Alaskan race for fans around the country. Prior to her racing career, Lynda had been an advertising manager at Esterline Angus Instrument Co., and had worked at WTTV-4 television and WNDE radio stations. She was preceded in death by her mother Jeanne Johnson and her father Harry Sharpnack. She is survived by her adoring husband of over 37 years, Gary L. Havens, her brother Eric Sharpnack (Roxann), her sister Dianne Stephenson, stepfather Robert Johnson, as well as seven nieces and nephews, and two great-nephews. Memorial calling to celebrate Lynda's life will be held on July 10th, 2012 at the Brickyard Crossing Golf and Conference Center Pavilion 4400 West 16th Street Speedway, IN 46222 from 5:00 pm to 7:30 p.m. followed by a service at 7:30 p.m. Flanner and Buchanan-Washington Park North are handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Lynda and Gary Havens Endowed Scholarship Fund at Butler University, Indianapolis, IN would be welcomed. You are invited to go to the Guest Book page to pass along your personal message or tell a story. Sincerely, -Your friends at Flanner and Buchanan