Service: Memorial services will be held at Canton Lutheran Church in Canton, SD at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 20. A private family burial take place at Forest Hill Cemetery.
Daniel Leroy Behring, age 86, died on Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at his home in Mesa, Arizona. He was born to Fritz and Dora Behring on September 23, 1926.
After graduating from Canton High School in 1944, Dan joined the Merchant Marines where he served until 1948. He then returned to Canton where he was a police officer until joining the Army with his younger brother Art, later the same year. He was honorably discharged in February 1950. After leaving the Army, Dan returned to Canton to work with his father, Fritz.
Dan met the love of his life, Bonnie Matteson, in January of 1951 and they were married on May 26 of the same year. They celebrated their 61st anniversary in 2012.
Dan and Bonnie started their lives together in Sioux Falls then later lived in Denver, CO and Butte, MT before returning to Canton to raise their family. Dan and Bonnie moved to Sioux Falls in 1970. Dan worked at John Morrell & Co. in Sioux Falls from 1958 thru 1985. After retiring from Morrell’s, Dan worked at Bierschbach Equipment and Supply until 1995.
Dan and Bonnie moved to Arizona in 1995 but for many years returned to South Dakota each summer where they would serve as volunteers with the Corps of Engineers at Lake Oahe near Pierre, SD, at Newton Hills State Park, and finally at Custer State Park in their beloved Black Hills, where they first honeymooned.
Dan is survived by his loving wife, Bonnie; son John and wife Shari, CA; son Mark, NE; son Dale and fiancée Kris DeWandel, IA; daughter Tabby Sehr and husband Dave, SD; daughter Karen Vickers and husband Alan, AZ; and sisters Frances Winter and Deloris Nelson, both of Canton. Dan and Bonnie have 18 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren: Maile, Crew, and Max, as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family. Dan was preceded in death by his parents, sister Anna, brother Arthur, and an infant brother, also named Daniel.
A memorial service was held in Mesa, AZ on Saturday, April 13. Memorial services will be held at Canton Lutheran Church in Canton, SD at 2:00 pm on Saturday, April 20. A private family burial take place at Forest Hill Cemetery.
John,
Our prayers and thoughts go out to you and your family.
Gary and Wilma
I am so sorry about your Father. I know how hard it is to lose a parent. I remember John and Mark from childhood. I hope good things for you and your family and my thoughts and prayers are with you all at this time of great sadness. (The little blond girl that sat in school alphabetically behind John for many years.) Kathy Bell