George Behrenfeld

GEORGE ERNST BEHRENFELD, BORN SEPTEMBER 27 1918 PASSED FROM THIS EARTHLY LIFE TO BE WITH HIS FAMILY IN HEAVEN ON SEPTEMBER 10, 2013. GEORGE WAS BORN IN NEW LEIPZIG, NORTH DAKOTA AND MOVED TO TULSA, OKLAHOMA IN 1938 TO WORK AT MORNINGSIDE HOSPITAL IN THE MEDICAL LABORATORY. AT MORNINGSIDE, NOW HILLCREST MEDICAL CENTER, HE MET AND MARRIED THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, DOLLYE BROWN, A YOUNG STUDENT NURSE. GEORGE ENTERED NAVAL SERVICE IN 1941 AND SERVED UNTIL 1945 IN WORLD WAR II AS CHIEF PHARMACIST MATE, 1ST CLASS ON THE USS LEONARD WOOD WHICH ASSISTED IN THE INVASION OF NORTH AFRICA. GEORGE TRANSFERRED TO THE USS THOMAS JEFFERSON WHICH SAW SERVICE IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC AND IN 1943 SUPPORTED THE INVASION OF SICILY. THEY NEXT WENT ASHORE AT THE INVASION OF SALERNO WHERE GEORGE SAW TO THE WOUNDED ON THE BEACH HELPING RESCUE A YOUNG MEDICAL OFFICER FROM TULSA WHO HAD BEEN GRAVELY WOUNDED. BACK ON THE JEFFERSON GERMAN BOMBS ATTACKED THE SHIP AND BOTH GEORGE AND HIS FRIEND SPENT HOURS IN THE WATER UNTIL RESCUED. THE JEFFERSON WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO NORFOLK BEFORE FINALLY SUPPORTING THE NORMANDY INVASION. GEORGE HAD FOND MEMORIES OF RETURNING TO THE STATES ON THE QUEEN MARY. A DAUGHTER, GEORGANN, WAS BORN IN 1942 WHILE GEORGE WAS AT SEA AND A SECOND DAUGHTER, SUSAN (SPOUSE RICHARD), WAS BORN IN 1945 AS GEORGE RETURNED FROM THE WAR AND RESUMED HIS CAREER FORMING BEHRENFELD LABORATORY, A MEDICAL TECHNICAL SERVICE THAT HE OWNED AND OPERATED FOR THE NEXT 36 YEARS. A SON, FREDERICK (SPOUSE CYNTHIA), WAS BORN IN 1953 AND COMPLETED THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY. GRANDCHILDREN BORN TO GEORGE AND DOLLYE INCLUDE MARK MARTIN (SPOUSE MARY ELLEN), AMANDA MARTIN, LESLIE CHICKLINSKI (SPOUSE PATRICK), ANDREW ZEKAUSKAS, III AND SAM BEHRENFELD WHILE GREAT GRANDCHILDREN ARE GEORGAN MARTIN AND PATRICK CHICKLINSKI, II. GEORGE IS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY DAUGHTER GEORGANN. GEORGE WAS AN OUTSTANDING HUSBAND, FATHER, GRANDFATHER AND FRIEND TO ALL HE HELD DEAR TO HIM. HE ALWAYS HAD A JOKE TO SHARE, A SONG TO SING OR A STORY TO TELL. HE WAS AN AVID SPORTSMAN ENJOYING HUNTING, FISHING AND PILOTING HIS SMALL PLANE EARNING ENOUGH INFLIGHT HOURS TO JOIN THE ELITE GROUP KNOWN AS THE ?QUIET BIRDMEN?. GEORGE WAS A DEVOUT MEMBER OF THE FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH SERVING IN MANY CAPACITIES AND AS A DELEGATE TO THE MISSOURI SYNOD. HE WAS A 32ND DEGREE MASON AND A MEMBER OF THE TULSA MASONIC LODGE. GEORGE AND DOLLYE WERE MARRIED 67 YEARS AND ENJOYED ALL OF LIFE?S BLESSINGS TOGETHER UNTIL HER DEATH IN 2005. WHEN DOLLYE WAS ASKED BY HER CHILDREN WHY SHE CHOSE GEORGE TO BE HER HUSBAND SHE SUMMED IT ALL UP BY SAYING ?WHY? BECAUSE HE IS ALWAYS SO MUCH FUN! THE FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO THANK GEORGE?S SPECIAL FRIEND, VERN DAVIS, FOR HIS MANY YEARS OF LOYAL FRIENDSHIP AND THE WONDERFUL STAFF AT UNIVERSITY VILLAGE FOR THEIR CARE AND SUPPORT OF GEORGE AND HIS FAMILY DURING HIS BRIEF STAY WITH THEM. FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE HELD AT MOORE?S SOUTHLAWN CHAPEL AT 10 AM, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2013. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS THE FAMILY REQUESTS THAT DONATIONS ARE MADE TO THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE. Moore?s Southlawn 918-663-2233 share memories at www.moorefuneral.com

George Behrenfeld

September 27, 1918 - September 10, 2013