Eleanor Fitter Behnke passed away peacefully on September 19, 2024, at the age of 90. A longtime resident of Beltsville, MD, she was preceded in death by her husband, Roland Behnke. She is survived by her children, Jeanne Behnke Byrnes (James), Mark Behnke (Charlene), and Carl Behnke (Sara). She had seven grandchildren: Ian (Lisa), Christian, Timothy, Benjamin, Emily, Nicholas and Michael (Alexis). She had one great-grandchild, Lyanna. She met Roland Behnke, a young Air Force Lieutenant, while he was stationed in Lincoln, NE. They married in 1957 moving back to Beltsville to work at the family business, Behnke Nurseries, while Roland pursued his degree at the Univ. of MD. When Roland was called up to serve in the Air Force again, she began her career as an Air Force Officer’s wife. With their three children, she followed Roland to many military stations located across the U.S., including Arizona, Florida, Texas, North Carolina, and Washington, DC, and overseas to Japan and Puerto Rico. When Roland retired from the Air Force in 1976, they moved back to Beltsville to work at the family business. Ele, as she was more commonly known, played a key role in many aspects of the plant growing business, but her favorite job was running the famous Behnke Nurseries Christmas shop with her sister-in-law, Sonja. She and Sonja would create a magical shop full of Christmas decorations and make friends with many loyal customers. Christmas was her favorite time of the year, and she was known to decorate as many as four trees in her own home. In 1988, she and Roland built their dream log home on St. Inigoes Creek in Southern Maryland. When she retired there, she was able to indulge in her numerous hobbies including traveling, cooking, gardening, sewing and crafts. She always enjoyed crafting and made beautiful embroidery and needlepoint canvases and was known for quilting. She loved to make garments, including wedding dresses. A lifelong Lutheran, Ele served as a teacher and secretary in her church. She was a great example to all and will be sorely missed.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Borgwardts Funeral Home on October 11 from 3-5pm
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