DENIS BEHAN

BEHAN--Denis. Denis Patrick Behan left his beloved West Village for the last time on the morning of November 30, 2019, after a long, stubborn struggle with cancer. He was 74. No one ever left a conversation with this witty, erudite, genial gentleman without feeling it ended too soon - and no friend was more loyal. Denis' keen intelligence led him to Columbia College, where he excelled in the study of literature. He enthusiastically participated in seminars helmed by some of the great professors of the 1960s: Steven Marcus, Lionel Trilling, and Ted Tayler. In pursuit of his academic career, he earned his doctorate. From academia, he transitioned successfully to the corporate world when his brother Michael persuaded him that AT&T would welcome a teaching-oriented mind that could swiftly process, then appealingly present, complex information...albeit highly technical material. A colleague recalled that Denis once single-handedly designed a large telecommunications system, and then sold it after dismantling a competitor's claims through meticulous research. After a long career in an evolving industry, he retired - and defaulted to his true loves, reading and aesthetic appreciation. And read he did, rapidly consuming history, biography, and novels, while also immersing himself in art, music, and New Yorker cartoons. A delightful companion, he soon developed a devoted circle of companions who shared his chosen Village haunts. Besides these grieving friends, he leaves behind his brothers John Behan of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and James Behan of Walnut Creek, CA, and his sister-in-law, Helen Behan of Lords Valley, PA, and nine nieces and nephews.