Lynn Frederic Behnke, 79, died peacefully in Rochester on Nov. 26, 2023, surrounded by loved ones. Lynn is survived by his daughters, Deborah (Don) Paquet of Troy, Mich., and Alison (Jed Anderson) Behnke of Minneapolis; three grandchildren, Alex, Peter, and Ellen; and his dear friend, Evon Mitchell of Janesville, Wisc. He is preceded in death by his wife, Carla Kaye (née Loomis) Behnke.
Born on July 19, 1944 in Alpena, Michigan, Lynn graduated from Alpena High School and went on to earn his B.A. and M.A. in English from Eastern Michigan University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a minor in mathematics. On September 19, 1964 he married Carla in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In 1969 Lynn, Carla, and their daughter Debbie moved to Rochester, where Lynn joined IBM. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he worked as a technical writer, editor, and competitive analyst, making excellent use of his wordsmithing skills and his sharp, analytical intellect.
Lynn was an active member of the Rochester Civic Theater, where he explored his love of the arts and served as president of the board. Other creative passions over the years included literature, poetry (as both a writer and reader), jazz, opera, and ballroom dance. In 1983 Lynn, Carla, and second daughter Alison moved to Rome, Italy, where Lynn was on assignment for IBM. In Rome Lynn enthusiastically embraced world travel and, especially, Italian coffee culture.
Upon returning to Rochester, Lynn maintained his pursuit of the best cup of coffee while also traveling the world at every opportunity, for work and for pleasure. He also continued to feed his love of the arts as a member of the Guthrie Theater and as a student at the Loft Literary Center, and he enjoyed attending musical performances at the Artists’ Quarter, Dakota Jazz Club, Minnesota Opera, and Oak Center General Store.
Lynn was an active member of Rochester’s Christ United Methodist Church, serving on many committees and participating in book discussions and other groups. With Carla, he completed mission work to India and Kenya. After Carla’s death Lynn undertook mission-oriented travel to destinations including Cuba, Guatemala, Israel, and Palestine, where he not only offered assistance and generosity but also engaged in a spirit of open communication and learning.
Among Lynn’s other proud accomplishments were skiing in the Alps, running the Twin Cities Marathon, cold-weather camping in the BWCA, dancing the tango in Buenos Aires, and seeing his essays, poems, and articles published beyond the realm of IBM technical manuals.
On trips back to Michigan to visit friends and family, including his three grandchildren, he loved swimming in the Great Lakes, telling tales and playing cards with cousins at the family hunting camp, and seeking out the very best pieces of pie enroute.
And, all along the way, one of Lynn’s enduring pleasures was sitting with a cappuccino and a croissant, where you might equally expect to find him talking in the most thoughtful terms about classic literature, or laughing to tears over a dry (and perhaps even dark) joke.
A memorial service will be held on Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. at Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester. Suggested donations include the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Guthrie Theater. Memorials can be sent in Lynn’s name to 3342 Bloomington Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, 55407.
Online condolences are welcome at mackenfuneralhome.com
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