Oak Park mourns Behringer

By Sylvie Belmond Belmond@theacorn.com

Kent Behringer

Kent Behringer, a longtime Oak Park Municipal Advisory Council member and community activist, died at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center last Saturday. He was 77.

Behringer moved to Oak Park in 1981 and devoted much of his time to the residents of the unincorporated community.

"He was quiet, operated behind the scene and many times let others take credit for some of the decisions that were made," said Jim Kalember, Oak Park Unified School Board trustee and Behringer’s son-in-law. "He was extraordinarily generous."

Behringer’s work along with the efforts of others who serve on the MAC played a key role in creating the community that Oak Park is today. Behringer went head to head with developers to limit the amount of construction in the area and he was also instrumental in the way the parks were developed, Kalember said.

Aside from helping on the MAC, Behringer also served on the Oak Park Recreation and Park Planning Committee for more than 15 years.

"He was a wonderful man who worked hard for Oak Park for years," said resident Harvey Kern.

Behringer was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He fought in the Pacific with the U.S. Navy during World War II, worked as a project manager at Edwards Air Force Base, and ended his professional career as a successful civil construction project manager for the City of Inglewood. He retired in 1996.

Behringer leaves behind his wife of 54 years, Margot, two sons, Greg and Scott, daughter, Monica, and seven grandchildren.

Fellow MAC member Todd Haines said Behringer was a smart man who didn’t rile easily. "But he would stand up for the right reasons," Haines said.

"He had a good sense of the history of Oak Park so I always looked up to him, to be sure I understood the issues," said Haines, who’s currently the MAC chairman.

Behringer died due to complications from emphysema.

In keeping with his private nature, no public services will be held, but donations in his name may be made to the "Friends of Oak Park Schools" at 991-6407.