Larry Leslie Von Behren

Larry Leslie Von Berhen was born 11 October, 1943 in Hermann, Gasconade County, Missouri, passed 18 June 2020 St. Louis County, Missouri (age 76).

His parents were Leslie Michael and Stella Selma (Schaumburg) Von Behren, step-mother Margie (Logan) Nunn-Von Behren. Larry had one sister Shirley Emma (Von Behren) Oberg (Curtis Wayne).  

Was christened at Swiss Evangelical Reform Church in Swiss, Gasconade County, Missouri, attended church in Hermann, at the St. Paul Evangelical Church, was confirmed there.

Attended grade school at Hermann, his grade school is now a museum, “Historic Hermann Museum”. Attending his freshman year at Hermann High School in Hermann, Missouri. As young man he played soft ball, rode his bicycle, helping in the garden, and on the farm. Larry had many relatives & friends. 

Grew up in Hermann until 1958 his family relocated to St. Louis City, Missouri.

Finishing High School, at Cleveland High School and graduating, while in High School was on the tract team as a pole vaulter, was a coach to several ladies soccer teams.

Larry then went on to attend St. Louis Community College and Washington University.

Attending Trinity Evangelical & Reform Church, which became a United Church of Christ, he attended Sunday School and sang in the choir, where he met and married Nancy Carolyn Terry on 14 October 1961 years. They later belonged to St. Lucas United Church of Christ.

He worked in High School at Calamon Shoe Company and worked for a neighbor manufacturing parts, then went after High School at Anheuser Busch Inc., first in Traffic Department, then to Bakery Products, and to the Computer Area where he was a Burster Boy, Main Frame operator, Shift Supervisor, Supervisor, Manager, retiring after 40 years there in 2000.

Larry and Nancy lived first in St. Louis City and then in St. Louis County.

They have a son, David Edmund Von Behren, wife Linda Marie (Rohan), David’s children are, KaDee Marie Rosner (Elmer William (Billy) Rosner III), Kourtney Ellen Von Behren, KC Mitchell Von Behren, and Madison Rae Holliday, and two great grandsons, Elmer William (Will) Rosner IV and Hudson Ryan Rosner. 

 Through the years Larry played softball at Anheuser Busch and several other teams, played golf, love to hunt and fish, and took any vacations with family camping, hiking enjoying the outdoors, scuba diving. Loving to photograph his travels and especially nature close ups.

Larry farmed on both is parent farm and after Nancy’s father, Walter passed managed and farmed their farm. When his Dad, Leslie, passed they purchased the farm from his stepmother Margie. When Nancy’s mother, Garnett passed, they were owners of two farms, one in Danby, MO and one in Rhineland, MO, after triple bypass and a very bad staph infection. In 1999 they sold the farm in Jefferson and Ste. Genevieve County.

After retirement purchased a Coach and was in two photo contest in Texas, winning prizes in each and was published in two books. Traveling to many parts of the United States only missing the state of Hawaii. Traveling outside of the Country to, China, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Bonaire, Curacao, Mexico, and Canada.

Larry was a great genealogical researcher, traced his Von Behren family line to 1590, to 8th Great Grandfather, living at Nordhemmern, Westfalen, Prussia, today Germany. His Schaumburg family line to 5th Great Grandfather in Vollmarshausen, Kassel, Hesse, today Germany. His 2nd Great Grandfather was sent to America in the Hessian Army under General Ralls in the American Revolution, (Battle of Trenton), he returned Hesse, most of his children came to America. Larry thought himself to be 100% German until he found Great Grandfather Michael Wettling was born in Soultz-sous-Forets, Alsace, Bias-Rhine, (then France/ German and today France). Great Grandmother Mary Jane (Fenton) Hale/ Wettling born in Tremont, Clark County, Ohio, USA, her family goes back to 3rd Great Grandfather William Fenton born in Ireland and her maternal side goes back to 6th Great Grandfather, Johann Georg Pence or Bentz)in Virginia.  Also 2nd Great Grandfather Heinrich Ulrich Hoffer (Hofer) born in canton Aargau, Switzerland. 

Larry took up playing the harmonica, guitar, banjo, and ukulele, joining the St. Louis Banjo Club at the Turners Hall and the belonging to the SLUG as a lifetime member. Was a member of the St. Louis Camera Club, giving many programs, headed the Mississippi Valley Salon for 2 years and judging for them numerous times. Larry was able to hang a photo at the Sheldon for the St. Louis Camera Club 100 years. Larry was a member of Missouri Nature and Environmental Photographers’ (MoNep), gave programs for them. Larry was a member of Germans is St. Louis Research Group, St. Louis Genealogical Society, the old German Genealogy Special Interest Group, Civil War Museum, Bosque de Apache Wildlife Refuge, Gateway Metal Detecting Club. A Life Member of Gasconade Historical Society a life member, also the National Rifle Association, at the Endowment level. He was honored to join the US Grant #68 Sons of Union Veterans of the CivilWar, though his Great Grandfather Michael Wettling.

Larry will be buried at Swiss Evangelical Cemetery, Swiss, Gasconade County, Missouri, and will lie beside his maternal Grandparents Martin Jacob and Emma Albertina (Gawer) Schaumburg, his paternal Grandparents grave are near by Gustave Henry and Rosie Caroline (Wettling) Von Behren.

Visitation will be held Friday, June 19, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Kutis Funeral Home, 10151 Gravois Road, St. Louis, Missouri, and on Saturday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at Toedtmann & Grosse Funeral Home, Hermann, Missouri, where a memorial service will follow at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow at Swiss Evangelical Cemetery, Swiss Missouri.

Memorials may be made to Swiss Evangelical Cemetery or American Cancer Society. C/O Toedtmann & Grosse Funeral Home.