Mr. Heinz Behling

Heinz Behling, 87, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 29 in Marietta, Ga.

Heinz was born in Buchhorst, Pomerania (Germany). With the implementation of postwar border changes, he was expelled to Husum (near Hamburg) in 1946. Heinz met the love of his life, Monika, in 1952; they were married on September 25, 1953 in Mildstedt, Germany and immigrated to the United States (Chicago) later that year.

Heinz was an upholsterer by trade and did leather work for a prothesis firm when he first arrived in the United States. He then worked for a small company doing custom work on high-end specialty cars. He also worked part-time at the Field Museum upholstering auditorium seats and had a small side business doing contract and custom upholstery work.

Heinz joined Sears in 1966 as an upholsterer in the automotive department. He eventually transitioned over to automotive sales, where he received numerous awards for exceeding sales targets and for his excellent customer service. He retired from Sears in 1990.

Heinz and Monika became American citizens in the 1960's but were always proud of their German heritage. When their children were born, German was spoken at home and German traditions were celebrated. Heinz and Monika loved nothing more than dancing together at various German Club functions. Heinz was an active member of D.A.N.K. (Deutsch Amerikanischer National Kongress), a national German-American nonprofit organization that was established to unite Americans of German descent and preserve their heritage and traditions on a local and national level. He was a member of the D.A.N.K. marching band where he played the drums. Heinz was also a member of the Elmhurst Maenner Chor (Elmhurst Men's Choir). The group performed locally and regularly performed at the German Saengerfest (German Singing Festival) national convention.

When Heinz and Monika moved to Marietta in 1990, they become members of the Freunde Deutscher Sprache and Kultur organization in Atlanta, a group that fostered German dance and culture. They remained members until the organization shut down in 2010. They also joined Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at this time. Heinz was a member of the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church choir until 2013.

In retirement, Heinz and Monika enjoyed traveling and cruised to Alaska, the Panama Canal and the Caribbean. They also made many trips to Germany and traveled extensively in the United States. They loved spending time with family, and frequently drove to Houston to visit their only grandson, Jacob. Heinz and Monika celebrated 60 years of marriage before Monika passed away in 2013.

Heinz is survived by his daughter Doris and husband Chuck Dressler of Big Canoe, Georgia and son Manfred, wife Leah and grandson Jacob Behling of Houston, Texas.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association or to the music program at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Marietta, Ga.