Dr. Anis Matta Behnam

He is survived by his wife, Hanneh (Jeanette), a son Matthew Michael Benham and his wife Robyn Lynn and their children Zachary David Anise and Maya Barbara of Morgantown, a daughter Dr. Suzanne (Behnam) Bergman and her husband Dr. Ryan John Napier Bergman, both dentists, of Vancouver WA and by their children John August, Miles Emerson and Hannah Nicole. He is also survived by his brother Dr. Kamal Benham of Morgantown, WV, his wife Gisela and their three children.

Dr. Behnam graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University in Egypt in 1951. After a year of internship, he became the Physician for Passenger ships that sailed from Alexandria, Egypt to New York, with some stops in southern Europe. In the US he met two famous professors of urology, and he was accepted at both Johns Hopkins and Medical College of Virginia, but he chose the latter. After four years of residency in urology, he joined the staff of the medical school in Portland Oregon in July 1958, both to do research and to teach. In 1963 he married and moved to Beckley, West Virginia, where he practiced urology until his retirement on June 1st, 1999, his 73rd birthday.

He was always thankful for his time in Beckley and indebted to its people for their kindness to him and his family. He also had a special appreciation for the Appalachian Bible College and its staff, as well as the staff at Body Works Fitness Center where he enjoyed exercising regularly until very recently.

He was deeply loved and respected in the community, not only as a physician, but as a man of God. His life was marked by faithfulness and service, and he embraced every opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ, both at home and around the world. He will be greatly missed, but his legacy and his light will continue to shine through the many lives he touched.

Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 2:00 pm on Monday, August 24th at Blue Ridge Funeral Home. The service will begin at 2:00 pm, followed by a committal service at Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. A reception will be held afterward (location TBA), where all are welcome to share memories and fellowship.

If anyone desires to send memorial gifts, please send them to The Message of Grace and Truth.

The Fund for Christian Service

208 Lenox Ave #37

Westfield, NJ 07090