Arnold Behrens

GEORGE, IA Arnold Behrens, age 86 of George, IA, died Wednesday, July 7, 2010, at the Good Samaritan Center in George, IA. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Saturday, July 10, 2010 at St. Paul Lutheran Church rural Hull, IA (3 miles north and 2 miles east of Hull, 3483 290th Street) with Rev. S. Kim Peterson, officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery at Hull, IA. Visitation will be Friday from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of George. Memorials may be directed to: The possibility for a stain glass window project at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Arnold Behrens was born November 6, 1923 on a farm southwest of George, IA to August and Marie (Woelber) Behrens. He received his education at Garfield #6 Country School near George. As a young man he helped his father and neighbors with farming. Over the years his children and grandchildren heard Arnold tell many stories of the early days on the farm thrashing and helping his father with their custom baling and hand tying the bales. In light of the challenges that lay ahead for Arnold, the lessons learned as a young man of hard work, perseverance and a strong faith in God would become the strength he would draw from throughout his life. When he was very young, he attended a school in Nebraska to overcome a speech impediment spending weeks at a time away from his family. On December 30, 1948 he was united in marriage to Henrietta Sohl. To this union two children were born, Curtis and Karen. In 1955 Arnold astonished Drs. at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN by surviving open heart surgery which was necessary to correct the life threatening effects of a heart infection. On September 22, 1964 Henrietta was tragically killed in a car accident at the age of 35 leaving Arnold with two children, ages 9 and 14 to raise on his own. Several years later on November 15, 1968, Arnold married Helen Hinsch and the couple continued operating the farm 5 miles west of George until moving into town in June of 1988. Being a farmer through and through, Arnold continued going to the farm daily for many years helping Curtis continue the family business until his health forced him to retire completely. He was an avid sports fan and rarely missed the events of his children and grandchildren, cheering them on as they played different sports in school. Arnold loved his wife and children very much and he also loved the fact he was a part of a very large family. Birthdays, holidays and family reunions were joyous occasion for Arnold. He loved spending time with family every chance he had. He especially enjoyed his little great-granddaughters. They were a sparkle in his eye. Arnold was a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church near Hull, IA and served on several boards, including Sunday School Board, Cemetery Board, Trustee on Church Council, Cattle Feeders Board and Coop Gas Board. As the years passed and in his retirement, Arnold was diagnosed with a little known disease called Lewey Body Dementia. Its debilitating effects were Arnolds final challenge in life. He met it head on, with grace and dignity and as a result Arnold passed away on Wednesday, July 7th, 2010 at the age of 86. He will be greatly missed. Arnold is survived by his wife Helen Behrens of George, IA; son, Curtis (Iva Jean) Behrens of Rock Rapids, IA; daughter, Karen (Dale) Brandt of Spencer, IA; grandchildren, Paul (Amy) Behrens of Brandon, SD, Matthew Behrens of Rock Rapids and his fianc, Stefanie Bloemendaal of Sioux Center, IA; Dustin Brandt of Iowa City, IA and Megan Brandt of Cedar Falls, IA; great-grandchildren, Hailey, Hannah and Hilary Behrens; brothers, Harley (Miriam) Behrens of George IA, Elmer Behrens of Sheldon, IA and William (Ruth) Behrens of Westminster, CO; sisters, Verna (Bob) Sohl of Mount Pleasant, SC, Wilma (Don Ransom of Sheldon, IA and Betty (Don) Schisel of Mankato, MN; many nieces and nephews and other extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Henrietta; brother, Walt and infant brother, Vernon; sister, Frances; and three sisters-in-law, Loretta, Pauline, and Marie.