Kenneth Lawrence Behrens

Kenneth L. Behrens was born to a loving family in East St. Louis, Illinois. Born at home with a doctor in attendance. He passed away on October 11th, 2015 having been preceded in passing by his sister, Doris, in 1935, his father in 1963, his mother in 1973 and his brother in 2001. He attended East St. Louis Senior High School and then immediately after high school joined the US Navy. He completed 20 years in the Navy and Coast Guard but having broken service it took him 33 years to do the time for retirement in February, 1982. After he was discharged from the Coast Guard in 1964, he went to work with Carlton Caterpillar then in 1966 was hired by Hercules as a machinist until 1973. At that time he went back into the US Navy to complete his 20 years for retirement. In all his military time he served at Naval Reserve Center in North St. Louis, Missouri, where he was taught the rules and regulations of Active Duty Naval duties. He attended Boot Camp (Army calls it Basic Training) in San Diego, California, next to Naval Construction Battalion (CB’s) at Port Hueneme California, then down the coast to Coronado, California. He then went to Atsugi Japan, South Korea then back to St. Louis, Mo. On a Coast Guard Buoy tender, then to another Buoy Tender in Keokuk, Iowa, next to USCG Station in Peoria, IL, then to a Loran Station in Yakutat, Alaska, then to USCG Station in St. Simons Island, GA, next to USCG Light Ship at Savannah, GA then to USCG Air Station in St. Petersburg, FL, then to USCG Tug Boat in New York Harbor. Having realized there was retirement available from the Military, he went back into the US Navy and was assigned to the Air Craft Carrier, John F. Kennedy. When the ship was in a foreign port it would not be tied up to a dock, we had to run small boats (150 men per boat) from the ship to the landing for members to go into the towns for their rest and relaxation. After the duty on the Air Craft Carrier he was assigned to Navy Recruiting Station, Albany, GA. His next assignment was to Instructors School at Great Lakes Illinois and then to his favorite job of all his work assignments, “teaching young enlisted men and women” the intricate job of maintaining many small diesel engines that power the boats and generators in the operation of our US Navy.

He was blessed with the ability to travel extensively and he has visited all of the fifty United States either in the Military or just for pleasure and would not say any one was better than the others. He also had the opportunity to travel either with the military or as a civilian on pleasure trips to nineteen foreign countries including Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Egypt, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Japan, Korea, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico. He has said he would not give up the United States for any of those foreign countries.

His one goal in life other than have a healthy and happy marriage and loving children was to learn to fly small airplanes which he did and worked his way up to Commercial Pilot with a Multi-engine rating, Instrument Rating and Instructors Rating.

He is survived by his loving and faithful wife of 56 years of happy marriage, Edna. Kenneth and Edna celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 11, 2009 with about 45 family and friends at Bennies Red Barn on St. Simons Island.

He was blessed with 1 son, David Ward Behrens, who passed away in 2003; 4 daughters, Deanna Albertson of Pontiac, IL, Cheryl Montgomery (Earl) of Jonesboro, AR, Phyllis Hoffman (Steve) of Carthage, IN and Kathy Brown (Steve) of Memphis, TN. 15 grandchildren, 6 great-grandsons and 7 great-granddaughters.

Visitation will be held Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be Thursday at 11:00 am in the funeral home chapel. Burial with full military honors will be at 2:00 pm Thursday in Lake Chapel Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Screven, GA. His grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will include Dr. Lana Skelton and her entire Coastal Cardiology staff, Dr. Levy and all of his staff at Lung Associates, and Dr. Wright and his staff at his family practice. Their services are what have kept me going all these many years.

Condolences may be expressed at www.edomillerandsons.com

Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.