Marian Behrens
ROCKFORD – Marian Behrens, 88, of Rockford, formerly of Sterling, died Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, in Rockford.
Marian was born May 16, 1921, in Oak Park, the daughter of Arthur and Rose Benson. She graduated from Sterling High School, and attended the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Scovill Business School, Sterling.
During World War II, Marian worked at Butler Bros., Chicago, as a billing machine operator. She also worked at Green River Ordnance Plant, Dixon, as a dictaphone operator.
Marian married Lloyd Behrens on May 9, 1943, at Fourth Street Methodist Church, Sterling. After the wedding, they went to Abilene, Texas, where her husband was in training with the 90th Infantry Division Headquarters, assigned as secretary to the commanding general G-2 Section, Counter Intelligence. Marian also went to Fort Dix, Trenton, N.J., and stayed there until Lloyd’s division departed to England for the D-Day invasion at Normandy.
Marian and Lloyd lived in Sterling after the war. They were partners, owning Cashway Lumber Co., Sterling, for 24 years. The Behrens moved to Sedona and Flagstaff, Ariz., in 1970, to be close to her family. She was a secretary to her husband for 30 years in the real estate appraisal business. Lloyd and Marian were members of Top of the Town Dance Club.
Survivors include her husband, Lloyd of Rockford; two daughters, Vivian (Curtis) White of Rockford and Susan (Raul) Escamillo of Wellington, Nev.; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Joan Vicari; one son-in-law, John Vicari; one brother, Phillip Benson; and one sister, Evelyn Downum.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Road, Rockford. Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery, Sterling. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
Visit www.fitzgeraldfuneralhome.com to send condolences.
