Aren Givens (1990-2026) - Rest in Peace

Aren Lee Givens decided to pass through death's doors early Tuesday morning before work. He entered through the watery gates of Lake Washington on the shores of Mercer Island not far from his Shorewood Apartment in Washington State. He had been missing for two days when they found his submerged body; no foul play is suspected.

Aren was an only child, born in Skowhegan, Maine on August 15, 1990 to Gale Davison and Stephen Givens. Aren is survived by his mother Gale Davison and his stepfather Donald Smallidge of Waterville, Maine; his aunt Dale Broszeit in Montana; uncle Todd Davison in Washington; his four cousins and their families: Erica Keller, DVM in Ohio; Ryan Keller in upstate New York; Trevor Keller in Ohio; and Heather Ryvore Smith in Washington. He is predeceased by his maternal grandmother Blanche Davison and his father, Stephen Givens.

Aren was an avid reader of science-based biology. He read an adult-level book about ants when he was only four years old! He loved reading about dragons and dinosaurs as he became older. He liked video games such as Oblivion and Halo. He had a passion for wolves which he pursued by volunteering for the Wolf Haven Sanctuary in Washington State in 2012.

Aren's years in Washington State were primarily filled with night management positions in at least four different homeless shelters. His last employer was Plymouth House in Seattle, Washington.

He aspired to be a fiction writer and was working on a novel about a unique pack of werewolves and had written 200,000 words. He chose Port Gamble in Washington to locate his story; the company town was built in 1863 to mimic New England architecture to help attract experienced lumbermen from Machias, Maine to work there. Last Fall he began to explore writing screenplays.

He liked walking streets at night and walked to work whenever possible. He missed chocolate chip whoopee pies. He loved Starbucks cold coffee.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Wolf Haven International (working to conserve and protect wolves and their habitat since 1982), 3111 Offut Lake Road SE, Tenino, WA 98589, or Coyote Lives in Maine (Maine coyotes descend from hybridizing with wolves).

April 26th, 2026

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