As I was organizing and sorting paperwork this morning from Larry's LIFE, in his Air Force file I found the above letter from when Larry entered the USAF in Feb 1967. It's signed by John W. Behnken, Jr., Chaplain, Lt Col, USAF, who was the Installation Chaplain. I had to look twice as I recognized that name!
I was a member of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod from birth until I was 47 years old. The 6th President of the Missouri Synod from 1935 to 1962 was The Rev. John W. Behnken.
When I was in high school and college in the 1960s, the pastor of our local Lutheran Church, Trinity Lutheran Church in Great Bend, Kansas, was Kenneth W. Behnken, the son of this John Behnken.
As a member of that congregation, I was privileged to meet Rev. Behnken's notable father. I also had the privilege of providing child care to our pastor, Kenneth Behnken's family, one summer while he took his wife Eunice on vacation and left their daughters Sandra, Susan, and Amy in my care for a week.
I'm pictured here with Amy Behnken.
My research online today showed me that my pastor in 1967, Kenneth Behnken, was a brother of the John W. Behnken, Jr. who was the Chaplain for Larry when he was in the Air Force, also in 1967.
On my bookshelf is this Career Biography of Pres. John W. Behnken.
Also on my bookshelf of OLD books is this Service Prayer Book. It has no name in it, and if it had belonged to Larry, he'd have put his name in it. He wrote his name in everything he owned! I think we probably bought it at a used book sale.
We can see J W Behnken's name at the bottom, indicating that he was the President of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod.
This paper was inserted in the Service Prayer Book. It's interesting to see the final sentence: Found: September 11, 1942. I'd like to know the story behind that!
I'm so easily impressed and find myself just totally amazed to discover these kinds of connections. I wish I could share this news with Larry. But by now I'm sure he already knows. It was Larry who surely pointed me in the direction to make this discovery this morning. I love it!
Becky,
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool. Our world is very small at times, but sometimes we need to stop and look around.
Your story reminded me of a similar one, in my own family. When I was in Boot Camp, there was an Episcopal Chaplain. He would become the Priest in my home church, where my parents attended.
I would later work for a Bishop, also in the Episcopal Church. HER father was also a Chaplain at the same boot camp, we haven't figured out the timing on that one and I don't remember the other Chaplains at the time.
Thank you for sharing Larry's life with us.
Russ