[IL-Talk] Roger Behm obituary

Thu Nov 4 15:21:08 UTC 2021

Thanks for sharing! What a great portrait of a life well lived!

Debbie

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From: IL-Talk [mailto:il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Sharon
Howerton via IL-Talk
Sent: Wednesday, November 3, 2021 6:42 PM
To: il-talk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Sharon Howerton <shrnhow at gmail.com>
Subject: [IL-Talk] Roger Behm obituary

Following was found on a list:

Obituary
Roger Allen Behm, age 67, a long-time Janesville resident, died of Covid-19
on October 31, 2021, at SSM St.  Mary's Janesville Hospital.  He was born on
January 19, 1954, in Watertown, WI, the son of Charles and Betty (Roush)
Behm.  Due to Roger's visual impairment, the family moved from Wausau to
Janesville where he attended and graduated from the Wisconsin School for the
Visually Handicapped (WSVH).  As Roger was a great lover of learning and
school, he attended UW-Milwaukee for seven years during which time he
received degrees in business and economics, anthropology and being a great
history buff, a degree in history. 

Roger married his life-long partner, Teresa Fey Schutte on October 5, 1974.
Through the years, he was involved in various businesses, but his real
passion was helping the visually impaired with the company he owned,
operated and was president of, Adaptive Information Systems, Inc.  Ever
since the first computers were sold, Roger was passionate about using
technology and especially how it could be applied to help the visually
impaired.  He truly took great pride in helping his customers and clients
learn to use adaptive technology so they too could become independent.  He
also owned and operated Wood & Weave, a chair caning and basket weaving
business, a craft he learned during his time at WSVH.  He was well known all
over Wisconsin and the upper Midwest, attending art fairs throughout the
80's and 90's, crafting functional works of art.  When his three sons were
growing up and had newspaper routes, he helped deliver and fold the papers
and eventually started his own route as well.  He impressed many Eastside
Janesville residents with his ability to navigate the streets and also
memorize the houses that did and did not subscribe to the newspaper. 

In June of 2021, Roger received a Gift of Sight Fellowship award and was
placed on the Wall of Honor at the Lions Club of Plymouth, WI, where he was
a member and donated numerous technology devices helping many visually
impaired people gain independence.  He served on an advisory board for
persons with disabilities at Blackhawk Technical College for many years.
Roger was also a lifetime member of the National Federation of the Blind,
where he served as State Treasurer.  It gave him great pride that his
daughter Naomi became a dually certified instructor in Orientation and
Mobility and a teacher for the visually impaired.  Roger was also a proud
blood donor and donated many gallons of blood during his lifetime. 

Roger loved camping trips to Clear Lake at Minocqua, WI, he started going
there as a young boy with his parents and siblings and it was also his and
Teresa's honeymoon destination.  He continued the tradition of primitive
camping with his children, which often included many friends.  It is at the
top of his list of destinations where he wishes his ashes to be scattered.
He was an enthusiastic fisherman and certified Scuba diver as well.  His
fish were always 3-4" bigger than reality as he never caught the elusive
brailled fish.  His passion for the great outdoors and all that Mother
Nature has to offer was one of the many life lessons he taught his children.

He enjoyed attending his children's sporting events as they were growing up.
Roger had a passion for sports, he always cheered hard for the Brewers,
Packers, Badgers, Bucks and Warhawks.  Later in life he picked up the game
of golf and always enjoyed a round with his three son's on Father's Day.  He
also loved playing cards, whether it was Euchre, Cribbage or Pinochle.  If
you've ever played Roger in a game, you know how much loved to hoot and
holler when he had a great hand!  He also was an avid book reader, always
stayed up to date on the national and local news, had an obsession for Star
Trek and absolutely adored the Beatles and his most favorite musical artist
Paul McCartney. 

Anyone who met Roger Behm, would likely tell you he was an inspirational,
hardworking, dedicated, smart, caring and honest man.  Roger wasn't one to
complain and always could find the positives in any situation.  He never let
his blindness stop him from doing anything, whether it was building a shed
by himself, crafting beautiful furniture pieces, learning to put his
daughter's hair in a ponytail or delivering 100 newspapers by himself at 5
am during a Wisconsin blizzard.  Roger was given a 1% chance to live back in
2013 after spending over 2 months in four different hospitals, after
suffering a major blood clot in his digestive tract.  Roger was an icon, a
legend, a one of a kind person who will forever be remembered for living
life to the fullest and overcoming any and all obstacles thrown his way.  He
was truly a one of a kind person who will be missed by his extended
community of friends and family.  There are good people, there are great
people, and there's the unforgettable "Big Rog". 

Roger Behm is survived by his wife, Teresa Behm; five children, Matthew
(Heather) Behm of Valders, WI, Chauncey (Jamie) Behm and Ian (Laura) Behm
both of Oostburg, WI, Naomi (Behm) (Scott) Hrdina of Dunn, WI, Saree Behm a
student at UW Whitewater; 11 grandchildren (Justice, Jacoby, Briley,
Brooklyn, Lainey, Langdon, Everley, Ila, Kendall, Roger and Wesley); his
sisters, Janet (Denny) O'Keefe, Karen (Neal) Smout; his brothers, Robert
(Kim) Behm, Richard (Teri) Behm, Randy (Anne) Behm, Charles (Kelli) Behm.
He was preceded in death by his parents. 

Roger would be very pleased if everyone would be vaccinated to fight the
spread of the deadly and contagious Coronavirus and to listen to the
science.  He was a healthy person who fought a very horrific battle against
Covid-19 and would not like another person to suffer as he did. 

"Live long and prosper" 

A photobook can be found using the following link:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/aiNRZaxCRffjDA1m8 

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would like donations made to any of
Roger's visually impaired organizations listed below or contact his daughter
Naomi Hrdina.  Additionally donations can be made to the using the following
links: 
https://vision.wisc.edu/giving/
https://wi.eye-link.org/
https://plymouthlionsclub.org/donate/ 

A private celebration of life will be held at a later date.  In Roger's
honor, the family will be working on developing a scholarship fund and/or an
annual Golf Outing to raise money for the visually impaired community. 

The Behm family is being assisted by HENKE-CLARSON FUNERAL HOME.  Online
condolences may be sent to www.henkeclarson.com
<http://www.henkeclarson.com>  

Events
Services are private. 

Memorial Contributions 

Eye-Link Wisconsin
P.O.  Box 845, Green Bay, WI 54305
Visit Website
McPherson Eye Research Institute
(608)265-0690
Visit Website
Plymouth Lions Club
P.O.  Box 102, Plymouth, WI 53073
Visit Website 

Bill White

billwhite92701 at att.net <mailto:billwhite92701 at att.net> 

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