Ann Patricia Behan

(Asbury Park Press)

ANN PATRICIA BEHAN
AGE: 84 TOMS RIVER
Ann Patricia Behan, died Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the age of 84. Born in Newark, she lived in Manasquan for 33 years before moving to Annapolis, Md. Later, she moved to Amherst, Mass. and Spring Lake. Since 2004, she has lived in Toms River. After completing her sophomore year at St. Elizabeth's College, she joined the WAVES, a World War II-era division of the U.S. Navy that consisted entirely of women, in 1944 and served for 18 months. She then attended Rosary College, River Forest, Ill., and later Seton Hall University, receiving a BA in English in 1949. Graduate training for Secondary Teaching Certification was completed the following year. In her youth, she worked for Rutgers University, Newark, in the Recorder's Office and in the Athletic Office, as well as the Hotel Alburnorm, Schroon Lake, N.Y. In 1950, she was secretary to the Circulation Manager of the Sun Herald, the only independent Catholic daily newspaper at the time, published in Kansas City, Mo. Its founder, Robert G. Hoyt, later went on to found the National Catholic Reporter.
She was predeceased by her husband, John L. Behan, Superintendent of Schools in Manchester, in 1977. Surviving are six children, John of Toms River, Ann of New York City, Elizabeth of New York City, Mary of Milton, Mass., Patricia of Los Angeles, Calif.; and Michael of Dhaka, Bangladesh; eight grandchildren, Thomas Behan Murphy, Daniel Conor Behan, John Andrew Joyce, Michael Christopher Joyce, Mary Elizabeth Joyce, James Brian Joyce, Andrew Augustine Joyce, and Madeleine Grace Behan; a son-in-law, Senator Brian A. Joyce of Milton, Mass.; a daughter-in-law, Dr. Allisyn C. Moran of Dhaka; and three siblings, Dr. Michael J. Doyle of Mantoloking, Mary White of Brielle, and Ellen Conry of Belmar.
Relatives and friends may call from 5 to 9 p.m. today at the O'Brien Funeral Home, Highway 35 and New Bedford Road, Wall. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Catharine's Church, 215 Essex Ave., Spring Lake, followed by burial at St. Catharine's Cemetery, 1100 West Chicago Blvd., Wall. Memorials may be made to the John L. and Ann P. Behan Scholarship Fund, Manchester Township High School.