Bill Havens attended George Washington University where he competed in football, boxing, track, swimming, and wrestling. He attempted to make the 1936 Olympic team in canoeing but just missed qualifying. In World War II he served in the US Army Air Corps as a radio operator on C47 aircraft and left the military as a sergeant. After the war he worked for many years as an elementary school teacher and later as a school principal. Havens retired to Manteo, North Carolina, and competed in canoeing at Senior Olympics and World Master Games into his 80s. Bill Havens was the brother of Frank Havens.