COLUMBUS Jane M. Steffenhagen passed away on Saturday, May 9, 2009 at
her home. She was born to Warren and Maude (Schemmel) Lee in
Milwaukee.
She graduated from Cambria High School in Cambria. She
was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Cambria, and later
Faith Lutheran Church in Columbus. Jane was married to Robert Behling in 1947 in Cambria.
She was a lifetime member of The Order of the
Eastern Star, and a 25-year member of WDV-German Shepherd Club of
America. Jane was a breeder of fine German Shepherd dogs and
maintained a kennel in Germany for over 17 years. She was the first
American to Breed-Own-Train and Show a dog to the Select Female division
at the World Show in Germany. She had many champion German Shepherds
in the United States at the top all German Shepherd dog shows.
She bred, owned, and showed many World and Regional Champions in the Morgan
Horse breed. Jane received a Masters Certificate from the American
Morgan Horse Association in 1999, and was awarded Morgan Breeder of the
Year in 2004 by the American Morgan Horse Association. She was
inducted into the Jubilee Hall of Fame in 2006. She served on the
Wisconsin Horse Association board as Point System Chairman for 8 years
during the 1950s and 1960s. She was instrumental in getting her
special breed, the Morgan horse, established in the Wisconsin Horse
Show circuit.
Jane was a correspondent to the Morgan Magazine for the
Mid-America Morgan Club, correspondent for the German Shepherd
Quarterly and editor of Your Pony and Horse Show. She managed
cropland in Montana and Wisconsin. She loved gardening and all forms
of nature. She loved both her children and was a great armchair
general for both of them. Jane was a good person and restrained
herself from doing many things that might have put her in jail. She
loved fast cars, good horses, loyal dogs, her children, and her private
time.
Survivors include her daughter, Jacquelyn Lee (William) Sweeney
of Mt. Horeb; her son, Robert Lee Behling of Washoe Valley, NV; her
former husband, Robert V. Behling of Beaver Dam; a special cousin,
Roger Buchanan of Colorado; a special friend, Carmen Barreras; other
relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, and
second husband, Roy Steffenhagen.
A Celebration of Life Service will
be held at 7:00 P.M. on Friday, May 15, 2009 at the funeral home.
Rev. Robert V. Moberg will officiate. Interment will be in the
Cambria Cemetery, Town of Courtland. Visitation will be from 5:00
P.M. until 7:00 P.M. on Friday at the funeral home. Memorials may be
directed to the Contemplative Sisters of the Indwelling Trinity at P.O.
Box 445 Fostoria, OH 44830. Jensen Funeral & Cremation
Columbus 920-623-5850 jensenfuneralandcremation.com
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