Brent C. Behrens Md, Phd

With immeasurable sadness the family mourns the passing of Brent C. Behrens, MD, PhD on May 17, 2021, from heart disease that resulted from the effects of radiation treatment he received for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at the age of 28.
Husband, father, grandfather, brother, healer. He was devoted to his family and his cancer patients.
He was born March 17, 1949, to B. Richard and Phyllis Behrens who predeceased him. He grew up in Waukesha, WI and received his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison where he graduated first in his medical school class. He completed a fellowship in Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD. Following that he was employed at the Arthur G. James Cancer hospital, Chalmers P Wylie VA Center and Columbus Oncology and Hematology Associates from 1985-1998 and 1998—2016 respectively.
Brent is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Kathryn (Kawatski), his daughter Emily (Tony) Hansen, son Peter Behrens, and 5 grandchildren: John, Anthony, James, Molly and Grace. He is also survived by brother Scott (Esther) and sister Ann Behrens and his mother-in-law, and 3 sisters-in-law and their families.
He was a member of St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, Columbus, OH. His connection to this congregation sustained him through his health challenges.
Brent’s legacy is his character: accomplished, but humble, kind, supportive, inquisitive and spiritual. A colleague from the Ohio State years, Dr. Bertha Bouroncle, described him as a true gentleman.
A private religious service will take place at Grace Ev. Lutheran Church in Waukesha, WI. Burial will be in Prairie Home Cemetery.
Donations may be made in Brent’s memory to St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church, 322 Stewart Avenue, Columbus, OH 43206 or to Kobacker House, 3430 Ohio Health Parkway, Columbus, OH 43202. Visit www. egan-ryan.com to offer condolences.
Randle-Dable-Brisk Funeral Home, Crematory and Preplanning Services is honored to serve the family. For further information, please call the funeral home at 262-547-4035 or visit our website at www.randledable.com to leave the family an online tribute message.