DON BEHRENDT

Don Behrendt of Lombard since 1960 Don Behrendt, 78, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 13.2011. He was born Gordon Joseph Behrendt on Aug. 24, 1932, to the late Joseph and Beatrice Behrendt. Don grew up on the west side of Chicago. He bravely served in the Korean War with the 7th Infantry Division, 31st Regiment, Easy Company. Don enjoyed working for the Lombard Park District for over 24 years and retired as the superintendent of the maintenance department. He loved to work along side his men, physically planting hundreds of trees and thousands of tulips, building the toboggan hill at Sunset Knoll, dragging baseball fields, snowplowing ice skating ponds. He loved being out of doors, goose hunting, bicycling with his friend, the opera and especially spending time with his grandchildren. reading to them, and enjoying their musical concerts and baseball games. He was a hardworking, warm, caring, thoughtful and generous man who was respected by all who had the privilege to know him. Don is survived by Christine (nee Groski), his wife of 53 years; his son, John (Ann Marie) of Lombard; daughters, Jennifer (Rex) Irby of Elmhurst and Mary Frances (Eric) Reutzel of Pennsylvania. He was the cherished grandfather of Lauren, Michael, Johnny, Christopher, Alyssa, Jacob and Samuel; dear brother of Patricia (Phil) Kroncke of Wisconsin; brother-in-law of Mania Pavlos of Bolingbrook; and uncle to many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother, Edward (Judy) Manning; and sister, Jeanne Ingram. Visitation will be Sunday, April 17, from 2 to 9 p.m. at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard. Funeral services will be held Monday, April 18, at 10:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be in Chapel Hill Gardens West, Cemetery. For information, 888-629-0094 or visit www.brustfuneralhome.com.