Obituary for William "Jim" Behrendt
William "Jim" Behrendt, 87, a
longtime Gile, Wis., resident, died Friday June 18, 2010, in
Ironwood. He was born April 25, 1923, in Ironwood, son
of the late Albert and Lillis (Beare) Behrendt, attended Ironwood public
schools, and was a 1941 graduate of L.L. Wright High School. He entered the U.S. Army on March 15, 1943,
and proudly served his country in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations
during World War II, receiving the New Guinea Campaign Bronze Battle Star,
Bismarck Archipelago Bronze Battle Star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon,
Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star, and the Good Conduct
Medal. Following his honorable discharge as a
corporal on Nov. 16, 1945, Jim worked in the Geneva Mine in Ironwood for 18 1/2
years, and at White Pine Copper Co. for 20 years, retiring in 1984. He was a life member of Hurley Veterans of
Foreign Wars Post 1580 and Hurley American Legion Post 58, a member of the
Aurora Athletic Club, where he enjoyed pitching horseshoes, and a past member of
the Gile Flowage Association. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and rabbit hunting,
and was always willing to give people a helping hand. On Feb. 8, 1942, he was married to the former
Olive Perin at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley by the late Rev. Peter
Meyers. Olive survives. Also surviving are a son, Wayne (Cathy), Gile,
and daughter, Dolores (Craig) Werschem, Muskegon, Mich.; six grandchildren; 13
great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren;
seven step great-grandchildren; a brother, Rodney (Evelyn), Ironwood; and a
sister, Clara "Mickey" Blomberg, Ironwood Township. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death
by a son, Gary Gene in infancy in 1949; a grandson, Mark Vittone, on Dec. 6, 2006; and two brothers, Albert "Tom" and
Robert "Mike". Out of respect for Jim's wishes, cremation has
taken place. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, June
23, at 11 a.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in
Ironwood, with the Rev. Francis Strong officiating. Committal will take place at the funeral home,
where full military rites will be accorded by the joint Hurley American Legion
Post 58 and Iron Co. V.F.W. Post 1580 Honor Guard. Luncheon will follow at the Liberty Bell
Chalet in Hurley. Private inurnment will be in Riverside
Cemetery, Ironwood. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral
home from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Jim's obituary may be viewed online at
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are with McKevitt-Patrick Funeral
Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.
longtime Gile, Wis., resident, died Friday June 18, 2010, in
Ironwood. He was born April 25, 1923, in Ironwood, son
of the late Albert and Lillis (Beare) Behrendt, attended Ironwood public
schools, and was a 1941 graduate of L.L. Wright High School. He entered the U.S. Army on March 15, 1943,
and proudly served his country in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater of Operations
during World War II, receiving the New Guinea Campaign Bronze Battle Star,
Bismarck Archipelago Bronze Battle Star, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon,
Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star, and the Good Conduct
Medal. Following his honorable discharge as a
corporal on Nov. 16, 1945, Jim worked in the Geneva Mine in Ironwood for 18 1/2
years, and at White Pine Copper Co. for 20 years, retiring in 1984. He was a life member of Hurley Veterans of
Foreign Wars Post 1580 and Hurley American Legion Post 58, a member of the
Aurora Athletic Club, where he enjoyed pitching horseshoes, and a past member of
the Gile Flowage Association. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and rabbit hunting,
and was always willing to give people a helping hand. On Feb. 8, 1942, he was married to the former
Olive Perin at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley by the late Rev. Peter
Meyers. Olive survives. Also surviving are a son, Wayne (Cathy), Gile,
and daughter, Dolores (Craig) Werschem, Muskegon, Mich.; six grandchildren; 13
great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; three step-grandchildren;
seven step great-grandchildren; a brother, Rodney (Evelyn), Ironwood; and a
sister, Clara "Mickey" Blomberg, Ironwood Township. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death
by a son, Gary Gene in infancy in 1949; a grandson, Mark Vittone, on Dec. 6, 2006; and two brothers, Albert "Tom" and
Robert "Mike". Out of respect for Jim's wishes, cremation has
taken place. Memorial services will be held Wednesday, June
23, at 11 a.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, 305 N. Lowell St., in
Ironwood, with the Rev. Francis Strong officiating. Committal will take place at the funeral home,
where full military rites will be accorded by the joint Hurley American Legion
Post 58 and Iron Co. V.F.W. Post 1580 Honor Guard. Luncheon will follow at the Liberty Bell
Chalet in Hurley. Private inurnment will be in Riverside
Cemetery, Ironwood. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral
home from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Jim's obituary may be viewed online at
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are with McKevitt-Patrick Funeral
Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.