Ransom Funeral Home
610 South Washington Street
Castalia, OH 44824
Phone: 419-626-6666
Fax: 419-684-5191
Email: ransom244@aol.com
Website: http://www.ransomfuneralhome.com
View All Obituaries from Ransom Funeral Home
Barb Behlen, 87, Kelleys Island and Lakeside, OH, died May 8, 2014, in Columbus, OH.
Barb was born in Boston on Aug. 21, 1926.
She was adopted by James and Mariam Prindle when she was five years old. The Prindles already had a son, Jimmy, of about the same age and later had a second daughter,Tico. The family lived on Cape Cod where Barb's father was a writer doing both print and film work. One recognized work of James Prindle was for the screen play for the movie "Orchestra Wives". The family spent some time in Los Angles before settling in the Chicago area just prior to World War II.
After high school, Barb initially attended William and Mary College, before transferring to Lake Forest College near Chicago. At Lake Forrest, Barb met her husband to be, Bob Behlen. They were married in December, 1949. Work changes and promotions moved the couple around the mid-west, including to Danville, Illinois, Minneapolis, back to Chicago, and eventually to Cleveland. Their oldest son Robert was born in Minneapolis, daughter Andreae in Chicago, and Tom and Fritz in Cleveland.
In addition to raising her family, Barb regularly was involved in early education programs including teaching programs at Lake Erie Junior Nature and Science Center in Bay Village, preschool and Sunday school at Rocky River Presbyterian Church, commercial day care and with Zion United Methodist Church. Barb was for a time Christian Education Director for Rocky River Presbyterian and was on Church Council for Zion Methodist.
Barb was an avid knitter and needle pointer, including active work as part of the Christian Crafters at Zion, until she moved to Otterbein North Shore two years ago. Barb was also an avid sailor being around boats and water from her earliest days on the Cape and maybe from her birth mother's Nova Scotia heritage. She regularly competed in women's club races at Cleveland Yacht Club, including crewing in the Adams Cup. Barb and Bob enjoyed cruising on sail boats with friends and later, on their own boat, Varadaro. It was while cruising they fell in love with Kelleys Island on which they bought their West Lake Shore house in 1985, and moved to the island full time in 1992.
Once on Kelleys, Barb and Bob became fully engaged in island life- including Barb's work for the Chamber of Commerce, Bob's time on Village Council, and both as founding members of the Island Singers. For many years they were active participants with the regular dog walks on Sunday afternoons with their golden retrievers and were regular attendees at Audubon events.
Her husband, Bob, preceded her in death, passing away just over ten years earlier in April, 2004. She is survived by her four children Robert, Andreae (Charles) Behlen LeMaistre, Thomas, and Fritz (Michele); and granddaughters Maggie and Kate.
Barb's memorial service will be on Saturday, August 2, 2014, at 11:00 AM at Zion United Methodist Church on Kelleys Island. A potluck will follow after the service at the church.
The family requests that any memorial donations be made to the Kelleys Island EMS, Kelleys Island, OH 43438 or Back to the Wild, PO Box 423, Castalia, OH 44824.
Ransom Funeral Home, Castalia, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.ransomfuneralhome.com.
