December 23, 1935 - May 24, 2024
The Funeral services celebrating and honoring the life of Mr. Byron Behring, 88, of Enid will be held 2:00 P.M. Friday May 31, 2024 In The Brown-Cummings Chapel. Burial Will Follow In The Memorial Park Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Brown-Cummings, A Life Celebration Home.
Dr. Byron W. Behring, 88, passed peacefully in his sleep on Friday, May 24, 2024, after a hard battle with dementia. He is now at peace with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Byron was born on December 23, 1935, to Loran and Pauline Behring in Garber, Oklahoma. He grew up working on the family farm with his father, participated in FFA activities and graduated from Garber High School in 1954.
Byron earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1959 from Oklahoma State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. During his time at OSU, Byron was a member of the Farmhouse Fraternity, served as President of the Student Union Activities Board and was an active member of the Student American Veterinary Medical Association.
Immediately after completing his State Board Examination in June 1959, Byron married the love of his life, Betty Sue Rooker, of McLoud, Oklahoma. Together, they moved to Memphis, TN while Byron completed his Veterinary Residency. They moved back to Oklahoma City where Byron started his professional journey as a small animal veterinarian. Soon after, his career path shifted as he joined the US Department of Agriculture APHIS Veterinary Services as a field veterinarian working with large animals. Byron and Betty moved to Enid in 1966 to raise their family and plant roots in the community.
Throughout his career, Dr. Behring continued working on his family farm and was a well-respected member of the Garfield County farming community. His friends and neighbors affectionately referred to Byron as “Doc” and he wore that name with pride.
Byron was a member of the Shriners in Enid, Oklahoma, contributing his time and efforts to their charitable causes. He served as president of the local chapter for two years during his time with the Shriners.
Byron’s favorite hobbies included creating stained glass art pieces and woodworking. He became a skilled artist in both areas and enjoyed sharing his work with friends and family. Byron looked forward to passing on his knowledge of both crafts to anyone that wanted to learn from him.
When Byron retired, he and Betty traveled throughout the US collecting art pieces and making memories along the way. They found a wonderful retirement community in Mesa, Arizona and traveled there each year to escape the cold Oklahoma winters.
Byron had a deep love for classic cars, particularly Ford Thunderbirds and Mustangs. Byron enjoyed spending time and making many friends through the Sooner Thunderbird Car Club (STCC) and Vintage Thunderbird Club International (VTCI). He and Betty traveled across the country to many classic car shows to showcase the cars he meticulously restored to their original condition. Over the years, Byron won several awards, most notably “Best in Show” for each of his restorations. His final trip was in 2022 when his son Mark helped him transport and show his favorite car, a Rose Beige '63 M Convertible Thunderbird, in Denver, CO.
Byron’s life was marked by his dedication to his family, his profession, and his passions, he will be deeply missed by all who know him. Byron is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Betty Behring of Enid, OK; daughter Robin Reid and her husband Bill Reid of Houston, TX; son Mark Behring and his wife Cate Behring and daughter Kendal Behring of Edmond, OK; and his younger brother Darrel Behring of Euless, TX.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations are made to the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Medicine Authority (OVMA), The First Methodist Church Endowment Fund, or the Enid YWCA Crisis Center.
Obituaries are posted, in part, due to the generosity of The Commons.
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