Parke H. Behn died peacefully in his sleep at his home on Sunday, December 4, 2011. He was born on July 23, 1941, in Mount Pleasant, to John and Eileen Day Behn. He graduated from Monticello High School and attended Iowa State Teachers College. He married Marlene Wynn on June 27, 1964. They became the parents of Brock and Beth Behn. His professional career included executive positions with Control-O-Fax, Professional Office Services, Medical Technology, and Net Worth Advisors. A dedicated community leader, Parke served in leadership roles on many boards and capital campaigns. As a music lover, Parke was president of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra Board for three terms and chaired the UNI Suzuki School of Music Endowment Campaign. Parke was a member of the committee that oversaw the design and construction of the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center and served as president of the PAC Advisory Board. An active member of St Luke's Episcopal Church, Parke served on the vestry and chaired two capital campaigns. A former president of the boards of Sartori Memorial Hospital and Covenant Health Systems, he was currently serving on the multistate Wheaton-Franciscan Healthcare Board. Among Parke's other areas of service were the UNI Athletic Club, Cedar Falls Lions Club, Junior Achievement, Community Foundation, and Goodwill Industries. Parke was a recipient of the UNI Distinguished Leadership Award and was inducted into the Junior Achievement Hall of Fame. He and Marlene were selected as the Cedar Falls representatives for extraordinary community leadership in 1996.
Parke is survived by his wife of forty-seven years, Marlene; their daughter, Beth (Julie Shappy) and grandchildren Parke and Twila Shappy-Behn of Cornwall on Hudson, New York; his sister, Carole Greenawald of Indianapolis; his brother, John Behn of Cedar Rapids; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and son Brock.
Visitation will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, December 6. Services will be held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church (through the auspices of St Luke's Episcopal Church) at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 7. Memorials may be directed to Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra or St Luke's Episcopal Church. Richardson Funeral Service is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at the Richardson Funeral Service website.
Copyright Waterloo Courier on-line edition; downloaded December 5, 2011.