Iva Gene Behrens, 94, passed away April 20, 2021, at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. She was born January 13, 1927, at Larned Kansas. The oldest child of her parents Walter Whaley & Virginia Belle (Burns) Ratliff. She married Roy H.E. Behrens December 4, 1946 at Albert.  Roy died December 26, 2000.

Iva, “GiGi” as her grandchildren knew her, was a longtime resident, farmwife and homemaker of rural Albert, moving to Great Bend following the passing of her husband.  During World War II, her family resided in Wichita, where she graduated from Wichita East High School.  Iva was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, rural Albert, ELCW, V.F.W. Post 3111 Auxiliary, American Legion Argonne Post 180 Auxiliary, Central Kansas Thread Benders and Tangled Threads.  She loved spending time with her family especially the greats, enjoyed cooking, sewing, and making quilt blocks. She liked playing pitch at the senior center, working crossword puzzles, playing solitaire and listening to talking books when she could no longer read.

Survivors include, two daughters, Jyl Nokes and husband Arlan of Great Bend and Cheryl Naugle of Springville, Utah; four grandchildren, Mark Naugle and wife Katie, Shawn Naugle and wife Katie, Austin Nokes and wife Kathy and Colby Nokes and wife Stacia; nine great grandchildren, Lea Nokes, Ella Nokes, Cole Nokes, Kennedy Nokes, Taylor Nokes, McKinley Nokes, Maggie Naugle, Henry Naugle and Victor Naugle; four step grandchildren, Phillip Naugle, Jr. and wife Lara, Ronald Naugle, Melissa Stofferson and husband Lonnie and Michelle Lewis; thirteen step great grandchildren; and seventeen step great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Roy Behrens; an infant son, Gregory Lee Behrens; a son in law, Phillip Naugle; a brother, Robert “Bob” Ratliff; and two sisters, Phyllis Woelk and Patricia Miller. 

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday, April 26, 2021, at Bryant Funeral Home, with Prayer service at 7:00 p.m. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, April 27, 2021, at Peace Lutheran Church in Albert, with Reverend Wayne Baldyga presiding. Interment will follow in the Peace Lutheran Church Cemetery, Albert. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been designated to Peace Lutheran Church or Kansas Eye Bank, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.

Funeral arrangements provided by

Bryant Funeral Home

1425 Patton Road

Great Bend, KS 67530

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, April 25, 2021