Marla Behm

Marla Rae Behm, 66, of Sioux Falls, formerly of Canova, SD and Bismarck, ND, passed away on Saturday, August 27, 2016 at Dow Rummel Village, Sioux Falls. Funeral services will be 10:30am, Tuesday, August 30, 2016 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Canova, with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be Monday with family present at Willoughby Funeral Home, Howard, SD from 5pm to 7pm. Marla Rae Behm was born on December 6, 1949 to Gilbert and Elfrieda (Jech) Behm at the Canova Hospital, Canova. Marla attended school in Canova and graduated in 1968 and went on to study at SDSU. Marla was originally a math major until her sophomore year when she enrolled in an organic chemistry course which she loved. She was hooked and went on to receive her B.S. and M.S. in Chemistry at SDSU in 1975. Marla then went on to teach at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. Marla left University of Mary to pursue a doctoral degree at Purdue University in Biochemistry from 1983 - 1988. After receiving her PhD, she returned to teaching at University of Mary. Her students and her teaching career were her true passions in life and any student majoring in biology was likely to have had Dr. Behm at some point in their college career. Dr. Behm's devotion to students was evident in her constant involvement in the university's theater productions, freshman orientation classes, scholarship committee, fundraising events and the Vocation Advisory Group. Her awards include the Best Practices in Leadership Award in 2002, the Outstanding Faculty Award in 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2009, also the Student Advisor of the Year in 2010 and was bestowed as Professor Emeriti at the begin of this school year. After 40 years of teaching, Marla retired in 2015 and moved to Dow Rummel in Sioux Falls to be closer to her family and to spend more time focused on her sewing and quilting projects. Marla will be remembered for the many lives she touched and inspired. She exemplified the life of a passionate teacher for, "Great teachers stand alone in their value to society. Their influence carries on eternally." Those grateful for having shared in her life include her brother Richard Behm of Maple Lake, MN; a sister Glenda (Tom) Gassman of Canova, SD and their three children Nathan (Julie) Gassman of St. Peter, MN; Emily (Daniel) Kiely of Eden Prairie, MN and Gabe (Bethany) Gassman of Yellowstone National Park, WY; and eight great nephews and nieces Noah, Sky and Isla Gassman, Sydney, Hich, and Madeline Kiely and Aida and Bodey Gassman. Marla was preceded in death by her parents Gilbert and Elfrieda Behm and a brother Jim Behm. In Lieu of flowers, donations should be directed to the Dr. Marla Behm Endowed Scholarship or the Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.willoughbyfh.com

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Published by Argus Leader on Aug. 29, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for Marla Behm

Sponsored by Willoughby Funeral Home Inc.

18 Entries

Teresa Curtis Kaspar

September 4, 2017

Marla was an amazing woman and teacher! She took me from a kid who hated chemistry in High school to a kid who ended up truly enjoying organic chemistry and biochemistry and getting a chemistry minor. She was kind, compassionate, funny, and brilliant. She made even the most boring 3 hour chemistry lab somewhat enjoyable. I graduated from U of Mary over 2 decades ago, but she is and always will be close to my heart. My condolences to her family. My was a true gem and I am sure she will be dearly missed.

Douglas, Tawny, Bethany and Isabella Johnson

September 27, 2016

It was with heavy heart I read about Marla. Marla was always so positive and upbeat at everything. Some of my fondest memories as a young lad growing up in Minnesota and Missouri were when Marla came to visit.

August 31, 2016

MY CONDOLENCES TO THE BEHM FAMILY 1PET. 5:7 "THROW YOUR ANXIETY UPON GOD BECAUSE HE CARES FOR YOU".

Ralph Kampshoff

August 31, 2016

I had the honor of being Marla Rae's classmate for four years of high school. I didn't realize it at the time, but her presence, demeanor and her attitude toward learning had a very positive influence on me. I now see why she became such an impactful, dynamic, compassionate teacher.

Carrie Harrison

August 30, 2016

I only knew Marla a short time at Dow Rummel as one of the cna's that assisted her with cares but she left such an impression with me. Such a sweet lady. RIP Marla-til we meet again. My prayers to her family.

Waylon Hedegaard

August 30, 2016

I met Marla in 1987 when she came back to the University of Mary after doing her PHD work. I loved science and was a biology major, but I'll be honest, organic chemistry was the bane of my existence. But Marla... Marla was amazing and delightful, brilliant and kind, decent and wise.

I was not a great student, I skipped class. I crammed the night before. I partied far too much. In short, I was not an easy student to like. But Marla liked me anyway, and I thought very highly of her. We became friends. Even after I went to the Peace Corps and came back into adult life, we kept in contact. She was my teacher, my mentor, my friend, and my hero. Of everyone outside my family, I would rank her in the top five people who made me who I am today.

The world is a poorer place without her.
But she was also funny and loved to laugh. I can remember dozens of times in her office or later visiting her in her home when we would laugh uproariously. She had a great laugh.

The time I'd like to tell you about was in chemistry lab one day. My partner, Barb, and I were the team of misfits in the class. If something could happen, it often happened to us. Well one day, we had a complicated serious of glass apparatus set up to distill... umm... something out of something else. I really don't remember, but thank god, it wasn't dangerous.

We we had it all set up and tightly clamped together, all except the cooling water hose. The rubber hose that was supplied was about an inch or so too short, and being the lazy college students, rather than ask for a longer one, Barb and I just stretched the short hose to fit...barely. Mission successful. What could go wrong?

Well, there is this principle of physics that when cold water runs through hoses, it cools them down and on a related note, cooler things contract. We had already had a series of minor comical mishaps that day so Marla was already giving us the occasional eye-roll and chuckle. Damned if she wasn't amazingly patient.

But right as she strolled through the next time, the increasing tension on the apparatus became too much. One of the clamps let loose, and the major piece of said equipment swung around like a softball pitcher's arm and flung the attached flask across half of the laboratory... to shatter at Marla's feet, who, of course, had just entered the room in time to watch the entire fiasco... including the horrified looks on our faces.

Marla laughed so hard, I thought she was going to fall over. I mean she literally doubled over and had to grab onto the bench to maintain stability. To us two very embarrassed students, it seemed like she laughed for an eternity. Then she left without a word to have us clean up the mess and start over.

She will be missed greatly.

Gwen Niksic

August 29, 2016

I worked with Marla for 13 years. If you were around her for 10 minutes, you knew how dedicated she was to her students. As we got closer, I got to know that her passion for teaching was eclipsed by her love of her family. She took great pride in sharing pictures and updates of what all of them were doing. My thoughts are with all of you at this time.

August 29, 2016

Marla opened chemistry up for me, made me appreciate and love it. So sad. Thanks for everything

Lane Droog

Buffy Motschenbacer

August 29, 2016

May your light shine on Marla. Prayers to the Behm family. I had the honor in having her as my teacher at U of Mary. I loved chemistry because of her teaching and the wonderful person she was.

Valerie Schaaf

August 29, 2016

Marla was my favorite teacher of all the years I attended college. She was a brilliant woman with a most positive attitude. She loved chemistry and made others understand and appreciate chemistry too!

Jerry and Linda Ash

August 28, 2016

We were fortunate to own a condo in the same building as Marla in Bismarck. Jerry was on the condo board for two years with Marla and we considered her a friend. We have been praying for her and continue to ask for God's Blessings in heaven. Our daughter Jennifer also remembers Dr. Boehm as she had a class with her at the University of Mary in 1992. Our sympathy to her family. Jerry and Linda Ash

Erik and Jessie Dufner

August 28, 2016

To all of Dr. Behm's family: We are so very sorry to hear about Dr. Behm. Erik and I both had Dr. Behm as a professor at U-Mary in the 90's and she was incredible. She was always so patient and truly loved what she did. She taught from the heart and was inspirational. She was an amazing, kind person and we will forever remember her as such. Our prayers are with all of you at this difficult time.
In Sympathy,
Erik and Jessie Dufner

Trish Mohr

August 28, 2016

I remember Dr. Behm from my days at Mary College. What an intelligent, gifted woman. Her work will remain a resource for many years. I'm blessed to have met Marla.

Kaylene Martin

August 28, 2016

Marla was an amazing person and teacher! She truly had a heart of gold for anyone. She will be deeply missed by all! Rest in peace!

Sister Kathleen Atkinson

August 28, 2016

Marla made science approachable for me as a non-science student many years ago. I then had the privilege to call her colleague and friend.

Tom Porter

August 28, 2016

It was an honor and a pleasure to teach with Marla for seven years. I remember first encountering her during the production of "The Miracle Worker," and had the opportunity to work with her or volunteer on her team for many other productions. She was a kind soul, a talented teacher, and a wonderful colleague. May the angels lead you to paradise, Marla.

Tahni Cullen

August 28, 2016

Marla did the costume work during the many UMary productions I got to be a part of. She was the most wonderful, funny, warm, encouraging face you'd see right before you headed out to do your scene. She worked so hard teaching all day, and devoted so many nights. I will never forget her. Rest in peace, dear lady!

Will Beachey

August 28, 2016

Marla was a wonderful human being, friend, colleague and teacher. She touched many lives! My deepest sympathies.

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