Obituary of Paul Lee Behrend

Paul Lee Behrend, 71, went to his heavenly home Wednesday, January 30, 2019 under hospice care at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell after a brief battle with cancer. Funeral mass will be Monday, February 4 at 10:30 am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Parkston. Visitation will be Sunday, February 3 from 5 to 7 pm with a 6:30 pm prayer service at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Parkston. Arrangements by Koehn Bros. Funeral Home in Parkston.

Paul was born July 9, 1947 to Joseph and Angeline (Springer) Behrend in Parkston. He grew up in Parkston and attended Sacred Heart Parochial School and Parkston High School, graduating in 1965. He entered the United States Army on January 6, 1967 and served his country until being honorably discharged from active duty on December 22, 1968. Upon returning to South Dakota, he began working for the South Dakota Department of Transportation where he worked for 30 years. He was united in marriage to Kathleen (Fergen) Jackson on July 28, 1990 in Parkston. Paul was a lifelong member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and enjoyed hunting, fishing and collecting coins.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife, Kathy of Parkston; her children: Jill Huisenga of Sioux City, IA; Brian (Judy) Jackson of Parkston; and Brandon (special friend Kimberly Voecks) of Osmond, NE; her grandchildren: Connor (special friend Sarah Gilbert) O'Brien, Chasity (Ryan) Weeks, JeAnna (special friend Greg Willcockson) Elms, Hunter Jackson, Bronwyn Eastlick, Trevor Voecks and Hanna Jackson; 4 siblings: Patricia (Marvin) Thuringer of Spencer, IA; James (Elaine) Behrend of Scottsdale, AZ; Suzanne (Franklin) Stork of Jefferson City, MO; and Frances (Charles) Wane of Colorado Springs, CO; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and 3 brothers, John, Charles and Joseph Jr. in infancy.