BEHRENS, Palma Lillian (Borlaug) 1916-2004

BEHRENS, BORLAUG, REED

Posted By: S. Bell
Date: 3/25/2013 at 00:30:30

Palma Lillian (Borlaug) Behrens, 87, of Bickford Cottages, died Friday, March 5, 2004.

She was born April 16, 1916, on Palm Sunday, to Henry O. and Clara Vaala Borlaug in the Saude community near Cresco and Protovin.

She married Virgel E. Behrens on June 1, 1941 at the Saude Lutheran Church. He died December 22, 1972.

Mrs. Behrens attended New Oregon #8 rural school in Howard County through 8th grade. This one-room schoolhouse is now located at her childhood farm, which is owned by the Norman Borlaug Heritage Foundation. She attended Cresco High School for three years and graduated from New Hampton High School in 1934. From 1935-1939 she taught in rural schools in Howard and Chickasaw Counties. She graduated from Iowa State Teachers College in 1940 and taught at Delhi, Iowa in 1940-1941.

Mrs. Behrens began teaching kindergarten in Cedar Falls in 1953 and retired in 1982. She received her B.A. from the University of Northern Iowa. She was active in the Sartori Hospital Auxiliary, Waterloo-Cedar Falls Symphony Guild, Cedar Falls Historical Society, Cedar Falls Community Playhouse, Cedar Falls Lutheran Home Auxiliary, St. John Lutheran Church, International Questors, Sons of Norway (Charter member), Tuesday Club, and PEO. Faith, family, and education were most important to her throughout her life. She was a beloved teacher of hundreds of kindergarteners during her career.

Survived by a daughter, Judith (Patrick) Reed of Lehigh, Iowa; a son, Ted (Jane) of Cedar Falls; a brother, Dr. Norman E. Borlaug (Margaret) of Dallas, Texas; a sister Charlotte Borlaug (Leonard) Culbert, of Cresco, Iowa; seven grandchildren, Bill Reed, Mikel Reed, Erin Downs, Ty Reed, Lindsey Reed, Matthew Behrens, and Leah Behrens, and seven great-grandchildren, Trae Reed, Abby Reed, Paige Reed, Andrew Reed, Alexandra Reed, Ashlee Downs, and Zachary Downs.

She was preceded in death by her husband.

Memorial services were 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 12, 2004 at St. John Lutheran Church, 8th & College, in Cedar Falls. There will be no visitation, her body was cremated. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Norman Borlaug Heritage Foundation. Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

[Source: Dahl-Van Hove-Schoof Funeral Home]