James Behrens, 86 of Carroll, died early Saturday morning at Regency Park Nursing Home in Carroll.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 17, 2016 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Carroll. The Celebrant will be Fr. Timothy Johnson. Con-Celebrant will be Fr. Steven Brodersen. Music will be by Barb McDermott and the Holy Spirit Choir. Mass Servers will be: Mollie Hurd, Maggie Hurd, and Jessi Krause. Lectors for the funeral mass will be: Vern Behrens, Ken Behrens, and Vernell Wittrock. Gift Bearers will be: Michelle Doerer, Katie Yager, Rachel Prior, Amanda Prior, Sarah Vazquez, Amy Smith, Erin Schon, Emily DeBolt, and Anna Behrens. Eucharistic Ministers will be Madonna Schreck and Mary Ann Sibenaller. Casket Bearers will be: Joseph Luing, David Luing, James DeBolt, Daniel Prior, Andrew Behrens, Chris Behrens, and Mark Behrens. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors conducted by the Carroll American Legion.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3 p.m. on Wednesday where there will be a rosary at 4 p.m. by the Templeton Knights of Columbus and a Christian Wake Service at 6:30 p.m. by Holy Spirit Parish.
The casket will be moved to Holy Spirit Church on Thursday morning where visitation will resume from 9:30 a.m. until time of the funeral mass.
Memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for Kuemper Catholic Schools Foundation or Holy Spirit Church.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Jim’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Born on January 28, 1930 in Carroll, Iowa, James was the son of Henry and Mayme (Heithoff) Behrens. He spent his younger years in the Roselle area and attended Holy Angels School, later graduating from Carroll High School.
Jim served in the United States Army during the Korean conflict as a medic and was proud that his children followed in his footsteps being doctors and nurses. Jim was honorably discharged in 1953. On December 29, 1953 he was united in marriage to Margaret Hansman at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Willey, with Fr. H.J. Dries officiating. The couple made their home southeast of Roselle where Jim was engaged in grain and livestock farming. Jim and Margaret later moved to the Carroll community.
He enjoyed playing cards and fishing with his family and friends. Jim loved spending time with his entire family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jim served as President of Farmers Mutual Insurance of Roselle for 34 years. He was a lifetime member of the Templeton Knights of Columbus, 50 year member of the Carroll American Legion, former member of Holy Angels Parish in Roselle where he was active in the church board and currently a member of Holy Spirit Parish in Carroll.
Survivors include his wife of 62 years Margaret of Carroll; his children: Dr. Arthur (Rose) Behrens of Carroll, Carol Luing of Bondurant, Marilyn (William) Prior of Virginia, Joleen (Mark) Schon of Cedar Rapids, Joyce DeBolt and fiancée Terry Dickinson of Carroll, and Dr. Robert Behrens and fiancée Kelly Leggett of Polk City; 15 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; his brother, Donald (Arlene) Behrens of Carroll; his sisters-in-law, Virgene Behrens of Carroll and Phyllis Sibenaller of Carroll; as well as other extended relatives and many friends.
James was preceded in death by his parents; his parents-in-law, John and Rose Hansman; his son-in-law, Marlin Luing; his brothers: Robert Behrens in infancy, Harry (Dorothy) Behrens, and Virgil (Louise) Behrens; his sisters: Marie (Ed) Siepker, Florine (Harold) Eich, and Rita (Erwin) Vonnahme; and his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Melvin (Florence) Hansman, Marcella (George) Grossman, Lauris (Corrine) Hansman, Robert (Betty) Hansman, and Leroy Hansman in infancy.
