Robert A. Behrens

Devoted Family Man Of Integrity

Robert A. Behrens, 94, a Stamford resident for 58 years, died at his home on October 17. Mr Behrens, born in New York City, September 13, 1912, was the son of Albert and Eda (Mayer) Behrens. He was the husband of the late Freda Bernstein Behrens.

He leaves a daughter and son-in-law, Carole and Ron Ando of Newtown, a son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Barbara (McQueen) Behrens of Barkhamsted; as well as three grandchildren, Richard Ando and his wife, Andrea, of Oakland, Calif., Rachel Behrens of Seattle, Wash., and Anne Behrens of Providence, R.I.

As a young man, Mr Behrens was an avid oarsman of the Harlem River, rowing a single skull. He competed at the 1936 Olympic trials.

Mr Behrens was a World War II veteran, serving on a fireboat in the US Coast Guard. He retired at age 78 as a sales manager for the Beistle Company, the world’s leading manufacturer of party decorations.

In his youth he worked on farms in the Catskills, where he developed a love of nature and the outdoors. He was equally at home in the city and the country. Before it was in vogue, he became an active, knowledgeable, and lifelong defender of wildlife and the environment. A man with wisdom and vision, he quietly worked for and supported many causes. He was instrumental in preserving the Bartlett Arboretum where he enjoyed being a volunteer for many years. He was also past president of the Fairfield County Men’s Garden Club and the Stillwater Association.

Mr Behrens was a devoted family man who exemplified the qualities one associates with the Greatest Generation. He lived his life by the “Golden Rule,” and will be remembered as a good man with uncompromising integrity.

Funeral arrangements will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to the Trust for Public Land, Connecticut Chapter, 101 Whitney Avenue, 2nd Floor, New Haven CT 06510.

The Newtown Bee        October 27, 2006