Larry Behl

Larry Behl was known for the way he cared about people. His friendly, outgoing nature enabled him to make friends with anyone who crossed his path. His family, however, always came first. Larry had accumulated knowledge, compassion and wisdom from his life experiences, gleaning from both the positive and challenging events that life brought him. His deeds and actions were an inspiration to those that knew and loved him.

In 1937, the United States was just beginning to surface from the effects of the Great Depression, while President Franklin Roosevelt continued to enact his domestic reform program known as the New Deal. Meanwhile, political conflicts in Europe were also making headline news, and within 2 years, World War II would escort a new generation of men into the horrors of battle. As these events were unfolding, Arthur and Gladys (Ferris) Behl welcomed the birth of their son, Larry, on August 6, 1927, in Cadillac, Michigan.

Larry was the fourth of nine children in his family, and was raised in the small town of Maple Rapids, Michigan. The economics of the day were tough and that meant hand-me-downs and few material things, but the Behl family was very close knit and held fast with things money couldn’t buy. Larry’s mother went blind because of complications from diabetes, and never really got to see the faces of her children, but knew them all by touch. While his mother had her hands full at home, his father worked hard to provide for their family, working for Fisher Body.

Smart and outgoing, Larry was an excellent student at Essex Center School, which he attended through the sixth grade. And, like many young boys of the time, he spent much of his leisure time playing baseball, fishing, jumping off local bridges into creeks to cool off during the summer. His family was also very musical and everyone played some kind of instrument – Larry enjoyed the harmonica.

In 1954, at the age of 17, Larry followed the same patriotic calling of other young men of the time, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy (with his parents’ permission). Over his 4-year tour of duty, he was stationed in Hawaii and Sydney, Australia until his honorable discharge in 1958. Once a civilian again, Larry went to work at General Motor in the Buick City Complex in Flint, Michigan, where they made trucks and buses. He remained a loyal, hardworking employee of GM for over 30 years before retiring in the early 1990s.

Larry enjoyed his retirement years, playing golf, fishing and staying busy in his garden. He was a die-hard fan of the Detroit Tigers and faithfully watched their games on TV, and loved playing cribbage with anyone who came to visit. Devoted to family, Larry’s happiest moments always involved the time he spent with his siblings, nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. He didn’t have children of his own, so he doted on his nieces and nephews, and was everyone’s “favorite uncle.” Larry was especially close with his niece, Tracy, and her son, Ty, who he picked up from school a time or two, and went fishing together. Nothing made Larry happier than to have everyone over to his house for a fish fry; in fact, there wasn’t a family function that Larry didn’t enjoy. Everyone looked forward to Larry playing his harmonica or telling one of his adventurous stories. Outside of family, Larry had many good friends, but his closest friendship was with Raymond Cook, who he worked with at GM.

Larry Behl will be lovingly remembered for his kind and generous nature as well as his deep commitment to family. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

Larry W. Behl, age 72, died on Monday, April 26, 2010. He is survived by his brother, Harold Behl; sister-in-law, Dora Behl; brother-in-law, James Wohlfert; special nieces, Traci Behl, Janice Searles and Wendy Behl; great nieces and nephews: Angela, Matthew, Christopher, Andrew, Tristan and Ty, also many more nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Melvin, David and Herman, and his sisters, Leatrice, Elaine, Sally and Joyce.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 29, at the Abbott Chapel of Osgood Funeral Homes, 509 E. Main Street, Maple Rapids, MI, with Pastor Kathy Leydorf officiating, burial to follow at Sowle Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28. Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Larry to the American Cancer Society. Please visit Larry’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory with his family or sign his online guest book.