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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of Kenneth "Ken" Behrens of Bloomington, who
4passed away on December 1, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Ken Behrens was born in Chicago Heights to Norbert
6A. and Irene E. Behrens on June 11, 1948; he graduated from
7Illinois State University in 1970, where he was the program
8director at WGLT his senior year; he married Cynthia Hoefler on
9December 23, 1979; and
 
10    WHEREAS, Ken Behrens joined WJBC and hosted the popular,
11top-rated Ken Behrens Show for over 32 years; he was a gifted
12comedian and entertainer; his stand-up comedy was enjoyed
13nationwide, from the Comedy Store in Los Angeles to the Sabre
14Room in Chicago; he always kept his family and friends
15entertained; he was also an accomplished piano player; he
16hosted a local CNN news show for two years and worked in
17marketing for People's Bank and with Connoisseur Media, where
18one year he won Connoisseur's National Salesperson of the Year;
19and
 
20    WHEREAS, Ken Behrens appeared in several plays at Conklin's
21Barn Dinner Theatre in Goodfield and was the house emcee at
22Peoria's Madison Theater, where he appeared with Drew Carey; he

 

 

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1also appeared at the Palmer House in Chicago; he was proud of
2an original joke that was published in Reader's Digest and
3later included in a "Best Of" compilation; over the decades, he
4interviewed countless celebrities, authors, actors, and
5comedians; he retired in 2002; that same year, the Illinois
6House of Representatives declared March 1 as Ken Behrens Day;
7and
 
8    WHEREAS, In recent years, Ken Behrens was often behind the
9wheel of his antique Ford automobiles; he was active with the
10Prairie State Model T Club and in the McLean County Antique Car
11Club, where he served as president and vice president; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Ken Behrens enjoyed black-and-white films from
13the Golden Age of cinema, all things Disney, Jack Benny, and
14Laurel and Hardy; he belonged to the IATSE Local 193, the
15International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees and
16Motion Picture Operators of the United States and Canada; for
17many years, he showed movies at Capen Auditorium on the
18Illinois State University campus; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Ken Behrens was preceded in death by his parents;
20and
 
21    WHEREAS, Ken Behrens is survived by his wife, Cynthia; his
22daughters, Katherine (Matt) Shanks and Kimberly (Andrew)

 

 

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1Kaufman; his grandson, Kevin Kaufman; his aunt, Leora Cross;
2and numerous cousins, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces,
3and nephews; therefore, be it
 
4    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
5ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
6Kenneth "Ken" Behrens and extend our sincere condolences to his
7family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
8further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to the family of Ken Behrens as an expression of our
11deepest sympathy.