John M. Behne was born on September 20, 1936, to William P. and Lydia J. (nee Bahling) in the family home, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
His early schooling included St. Agnes Elementary and Rufus King High Schools. After school he enlisted in the Marine Corps for 3 years and was trained as a Demolition Specialist. He also attended the Navy’s Aqua Lung Diving School at the Submarine Base at Pearl Harbor while he was a member of the all-volunteer 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company, Able Detachment. John was honorably discharged at the rank of Corporal in 1956.
During his service, his family moved to the Reseda area of Los Angeles where John rejoined them. In the next couple of years, he went to Pierce Jr. College during the day and worked evenings at Fisher Body in Van Nuys, on the swing shift, at the scheduling desk, building the ’57, ’58 and ’59 Chevrolets. In June of 1959 he joined the Los Angeles City Fire Dept. and worked at the job he loved for 23 years. He retired in 1982, as a Captain, on a disability pension.
John had a passion for flying which was realized in 1964 when he received his
Private Pilot’s license in his 1946 Aeronca Chief aircraft which he and Reseda Florist Jerry Childs owned together. John furthered his flying knowledge by upgrading his license to Commercial Pilot with these ratings; Instrument, single and multiengine land, and rotorcraft/helicopter.
In 1973 John met Kath-leen “Katie” Tavernelli and they were married on January 22, 1977, at the Old Mission in Ventura and have resided in the Pierpont Beach area of Ventura ever since.
John served the City of Ventura as a Parks and Recreation Commissioner from
1986 to 1994, with two years as Chairman. He was an Elk for 44 years and Exalted Ruler of Ventura Elks Lodge #1430 in ’86-’87, and as a 36-year member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Ventura Lodge #201, and was the Noble Grand in 2000.
He was predeceased by siblings Kaaren A. Grant (Jim), Paul W. (Diana), and Marilyn E. van Oppen (Jim).
John has a son, David, from an earlier marriage, and three grandchildren,
Danae, Peyton and David Jr., all who reside in nearby Port Hueneme.
He was the loving companion to Misty, P.T., Spot, and BoBo (family poodles).
In his last few years, John battled an extremely aggressive type of prostate cancer, possibly tied to tainted drinking water consumed while he was stationed at the Marine Corps Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.
He went peacefully to his Lord and Savior on March 21, 2026, with his wife and family by his side. He was eighty-nine.
Family and friends are invited to a Memorial Funeral Mass to be held on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at 1pm at Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church in Ventura, CA. Reception to follow from 2-4pm at the Ventura Elks Lodge #1430, 2126 Knoll Dr, Ventura, CA. Donations in John’s memory may be made to CHEA the California Hawaii Elks Association Major Project by going to https://chea-elks.org/major-project/