Connilou Lorraine Behrens

Connilou Behrens, age 84, of Sioux City, Iowa passed away on December 2nd at her Winter home in Arizona. Conni was born in Sioux City, Iowa on January 12, 1940. She completed her high school education at Central High, and at age 19 married her High School sweetheart, Robert Behrens. Conni worked as an elementary school secretary for many years and has accumulated and kept many dear friends from this community. She was an avid baker and amazing with a sewing machine. Most of her girls’ clothes were made by her own hands. As a young mother, one of her favorite pastimes was sunbathing in her backyard with a book in one hand and a Coke in the other. She had a passion for life and raised her three kids to enjoy the outdoors. She would very often pack up her three kids, from the ages of 2, 3 & 5, by herself, and spend entire days at Browns Lake. She took them ice skating, sledding, tobogganing, swimming and spent tons of time camping. Yankton was like a second home to her family. In addition to weekends, they would spend entire Summers there. Bob would pull the camper, and often times the boat too, up to the campground, stay the weekend, then head back home to work. Conni would manage it all on her own without a blink of an eye. So much fun and way too many stories to tell. At the time of her death, she wanted nothing more than to be surrounded by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Conni is survived by her husband, Robert Behrens and her daughters, Kim Hickman (Mark) and Robyn Santos (Craig), 12 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren plus one on the way and one great-great grandchild. She was preceded in death by her son Mark Behrens.

A Celebration of Conni's life will be held at a later date; at which time, will be posted in the Sioux City Journal.