Skylar Charles Haws

Skylar Charles Haws, 24, of Newburgh, IN, passed away Saturday, December 12, 2015, in Nashville, TN. He was born July 27, 1991, to Renee and Royce Haws in Wenatchee, WA. Skylar married his beloved Rachel Boland Haws on May 16, 2015. Rachel graduated from VB in 2015 and works as a Behavioral Specialist.

Skylar graduated from Vanderbilt University in Biomedical Engineering in 2014. He was accepted into medical school in Indianapolis, IN. In the spring of 2015, Skylar postponed medical school to continue his education in Electrical Engineering. Skylar was readily accepted to the Graduate School of Electrical Engineering at Vanderbilt University where he was also a graduate assistant. He enthusiastically joined a research team to develop smart healthcare technology. The biomedical devices that Skylar built are currently in trial at the Vanderbilt Medical Center, and there is tremendous enthusiasm for Skylar's devices across 3 different continents for 3 different clinical applications that have the potential to impact millions of lives. In Addition, Skylar observed three years in a Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at the Veterans Hospital in Nashville. Skylar established a “Helping Homeless Men” program whereby he organized Vanderbilt students to transport homeless men to shelters during the winter months. The Drug Delivery Research, which Skylar participated in, is pending publication in Biomaterials Journal (2014). He was a finalist in Vanderbilt's Senior Engineering Design Competition, and President of Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Vanderbilt University.

Skylar had a passion for missions and served in Brazil, Dominican Republic, several times in New Orleans, Chicago, Tampa, Chattanooga, Panama, and Cincinnati. He organized and managed clinics that were set up in rural villages in the Dominican Republic from the base camp in San Juan. He also worked to set up, organize, and operated a rural pharmacy under the direction of local doctors. He loved spending time with his wife and family, and he enjoyed water skiing and jet skiing on Lake Barkley. He also loved cooking, jewelry making, and spending time with people.

He is preceded in death by grandparents, Charles Strunk, Leonard, Eulaine and Troy D. Haws. Skylar is survived by his parents, Royce and Renee Haws; sister, Isabella Haws all of Newburgh, IN; wife, Rachel (Boland) Haws of Nashville, TN; grandmother, Phyllis Strunk of Princeton, IN; mother and father-in-law, Anita and Keith Boland of Lexington, SC; brothers-in-law, Josh, Luke, and Paul Boland all of Clemson, SC; aunts and uncles, Ronnie and Sue Haws of Houston, TX and Roy and Barbara Haws of Jacksonville, TX, Sheila and Gale Cross of Newburgh, IN, Anita and Dr. David Walters of Princeton, IN, Charles Strunk of Oakland City, IN, Cherissa and Larry Williams of Evansville, and Deborah Talbert of Evansville; and eight loving cousins.

Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Thursday, December 17, 2015, at Alexander Newburgh Chapel, 5333 State Road 261, Newburgh, IN. Friends may visit Wednesday from 3:00 to 8:00 PM and Thursday from 10:00 AM until service time at the funeral home.

Flowers may be sent, or a memorial contribution may be made to "The Skylar Haws Innovation Fund" at 5/3 Bank or online at https://www.gofundme.com/Skylar-Haws. Condolences may be made online at www.AlexanderNewburghChapel.com.