Donald Leland Behlke
It is with great sadness that the family of Donald Leland Behlke, age 77, announced his passing on February 3, 2019 at his home in south St. Louis County after he suffered complications from a stroke.
Don was born April 16, 1941 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to Lillyan Oliver and Harold Behlke. He was their third of four sons. The family moved to St. Louis where Don attended Woodward Elementary School, graduated Cleveland High School, and then earned his BS degree from Southeast Missouri State University after his service in the US Coast Guard. He had various occupations during his life including art teacher, insurance agent, commodity broker, and entrepreneur.
Don had many interests such as oil painting, creative cooking, playing bridge, golfing, hiking, bowling, traveling, fishing and boating with his brothers, stock club, visiting Missouri wineries, Cardinal baseball fan, his grandchildren, and his family. He especially enjoyed the years he spent at Pine View (the family lake home in Minnesota). However, most of all, he was an avid gardener and could often be seen in his yard lovingly tending to his many flowers and cultivating his various vegetables as he whistled happily. Don cared about others and so he decided that he wanted to be an organ donor.
Don is survived by his loving wife Diane (nee Frease) of 53 years; his dearest daughters Wendy (John) Greyowl and Shea (Mark) Ramey; his precious grandchildren Madalyn, Myles and Faeryn; his brothers Harold “Ollie” Behlke and David (Sally) Behlke; his nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews, cousins, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Harold and Lillyan Behlke, his brother Warren Behlke, and two nephews.
A celebration of life will be held later this month at Royale Orleans. Memorial donations n memory of Don may be made to Feed My People, 171 Kingston Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63125-2932 or a charity of choice.
Blessings to all the family. My peace and love surround you as you cerebrate a life well lived.
“I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.”
? J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
My thoughts go out to his many friends and family members. He lived his life doing what he loved and if given the choice, wouldn’t have changed a thing. He will be missed.
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
-Abraham Lincoln
My thoughts go out to his many friends and family members. He lived his life doing what he loved and given the chance, wouldn’t have done many things different. He was funny, charming, but most importantly, he was Don.
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
-Abraham Lincoln
My condolences. My sister and I were just remembering his warmth and tolerance of all the neighborhooD kids playing football on your property. Keith Schwab and I always say”we had the best neighborhood ever” and Don’s kindness definitely made that possible.