Forrest Behm

Forrest Behm, former senior executive of Corning Incorporated, died at his home in Corning on June 29, 2015, at the age of 95.

He is survived by his four children, Courtney Behm of Mountain View, CA, Douglas Behm of Scottsdale, AZ, Brian Behm of St. Paul, MN, and Gregory Behm of Hamilton, MT; as well as, 2 daughters-in-law; 9 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren.

A native of Lincoln, NE, Forrest was an impressive scholar, ROTC Cadet Colonel, President of his class, and All-American football player at the University of Nebraska. On the basis of his outstanding record on and off the football field, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988.

He joined Corning, Inc. in 1946 and dedicated his career to making Corning a great company through his advocacy for global expansion, product excellence and total quality practices. He held numerous executive positions, including President of Corning International and Senior Vice President of the corporation and ultimately joined the Corning Board of Directors in 1975. Following his formal retirement from Corning in 1983, he continued to foster the effectiveness of Corning and other enterprises as a management consultant, and served as a Malcolm Baldridge Quality Examiner. Upon his full retirement, he authored a book on Corning's transformation into a total quality company. He met his wife, Betty, in Lincoln, and they had a long and happy marriage until her death in 2004. They were both active choir members at the First Presbyterian Church of Corning, where Forrest's rich bass voice added strength and resonance to the music. His extraordinary will enabled him to triumph again and again over adversity. In spite of a near fatal burn to his leg in childhood, he went on to become a star athlete, and he made a full recovery from lymphatic cancer in his 80's. He had a wonderful sense of humor and a hearty laugh, and shared his children's love of comic books, Pink Panther movies, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and all kinds of sports. He inspired us by riding his first 100-mile bike ride at 69, and continued to make athletic accomplishments a motivational part of his life almost to the end.

On Monday, July 6, 2015, there will be a viewing at the Acly-Stover funeral home, 327 East 2nd Street, Corning, NY, from 5 to 7 pm. Memorial services will take place at the First Presbyterian Church, 1 East 1st Street, Corning, NY on Tuesday, July 7, 2015, at 10:30 am, followed by a reception in the church hall. A private burial will be held at the convenience of the family. Please do not send flowers. Instead, the family would be grateful for your donation to the Salvation Army.