Roger Allen Behm

Roger Allen Behm, age 67, a long-time Janesville resident died of Covid-19 on October 31, 2021 at SSM St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital. He was born on January 19, 1954 in Watertown, WI, the son of Charles and Betty (Roush) Behm. Due to Roger’s visual impairment, the family moved from Wausau to Janesville where he attended and graduated from the Wisconsin School for the Visually Handicapped (WSVH). As Roger was a great lover of learning and school, he attended UW-Milwaukee for seven years during which time he received degrees in business and economics, anthropology and being a great history buff, a degree in history. Roger married his life-long partner, Teresa Fey Schutte on October 5, 1974. Through the years, he was involved in various businesses, but his real passion was helping the visually impaired with the company he owned, operated and was president of, Adaptive Information Systems, Inc. Ever since the first computers were sold Roger was passionate about using technology and especially how they could be applied to help the visually impaired. He truly took great pride in helping his customers and clients learn to use adaptive technology so they also could become independent. He also owned and operated Wood & Weave, a chair canning and basket weaving business, a craft he learned during his time at WSVH. He was well known all over Wisconsin and the upper Midwest, attending art fairs throughout the 80's and 90's, crafting functional works of art. When his three sons were growing up and had newspapers routes, he helped deliver and fold the papers and eventually started his own route as well. He impressed many Eastside Janesville residents with his ability to navigate the streets and also memorize the houses that did and did not subscribe to the newspaper. In June of 2021, Roger received a Gift of Sight Fellowship award and was placed on the Wall of Honor at the Lions Club of Plymouth, WI, where he was a member and donated numerous technology devices helping many visually impaired people gain independence. He also served on an advisory board for persons with disabilities at Blackhawk Technical College for many years. Roger was also a lifetime member of the National Federation of the Blind, where he served as State Treasury. It gave him great pride that his daughter Naomi became dually certified as Teacher of the Visually Impaired and an Orientation and Mobility specialist. Roger was also a proud blood donor and donated many gallons of blood during his lifetime. He was also a part of the early development of the BrainPort Vision device. Roger always looked forward to camping trips to Clear Lake at Minocqua, WI. He started going there as a young boy with his parents and siblings and it was also his and Teresa's honeymoon destination. He continued the tradition of primitive camping with his children, which often included many friends. It is at the top of his list of destinations where he wishes his ashes to be scattered. He was an enthusiastic fisherman and certified Scuba diver as well. His fish were always 3-4” bigger than reality as he never caught the elusive brailled fish. His passion for the great outdoors and all that Mother Nature has to offer was one of the many life lessons he taught his children. Rog loved being a father and grandfather. Roger had a passion for sports, he always cheered hard for the Brewers, Packers, Badgers, Bucks and Warhawks. Later in life he picked up the game of golf and always enjoyed a round with his three son’s on Father’s Day. He enjoyed attending his children’s sporting events as they were growing up, playing sports with his kids, and was an athlete in his youth as well. He also loved playing cards, whether it was Euchre, Cribbage or Pinochle. If you've ever played Roger in a game, you know how much loved to hoot and holler when he had a great hand! He also was an avid book reader, always stayed up to date on the national and local news, loved traveling, had an obsession for Star Trek and absolutely adored the Beatles and his most favorite musical artist Paul McCartney. Anyone who met Roger Behm, would likely tell you he was an inspirational, hardworking, dedicated, smart, caring and honest man. Roger wasn't one to complain about his challenges and always could find the positives in any situation. He never let his blindness stop him from doing anything, whether it was building a shed by himself, crafting beautiful furniture pieces, learning to put his daughter’s hair in a ponytail, or delivering 100 newspapers by himself at 5am during a Wisconsin blizzard. Roger was given a 1% chance to live back in 2013 after spending over 2 months in four different hospitals, after suffering a major blood clot in his digestive tract. Roger was an icon, a legend, a one of a kind person who will forever be remembered for living life to the fullest and overcoming any and all obstacles thrown his way. He was truly a one of a kind person who will be missed by his extended community of friends and family. He was a giver- giving his time, talents, knowledge, and money to those who needed it. There are good people, there’s great people, and there’s the unforgettable “Big Rog”. Roger Behm is survived by his wife, Teresa Behm; five children, Matthew (Heather) Behm of Valders, WI, Chauncey (Jamie) Behm and Ian (Laura) Behm both of Oostburg, WI, Naomi (Behm) (Scott) Hrdina of Dunn, WI, Saree Behm a student at UW Whitewater; 11 grandchildren (Justice, Jacoby, Briley, Brooklyn, Lainey, Langdon, Everley, Ila, Kendall, Roger and Wesley); his sisters, Janet (Denny) O’Keefe, Karen (Neal) Smout; his brothers, Robert (Kim) Behm, Richard (Teri) Behm, Randy (Anne) Behm, Charles (Kelli) Behm. He was preceded in death by his parents. Roger would be very pleased if everyone would be vaccinated to fight the spread of the deadly and contagious Coronavirus and to listen to the science. He was a healthy person who fought a very horrific battle against Covid-19 and would not like another person to suffer as he did. “Live long and prosper” A photobook can be found using the following link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/aiNRZaxCRffjDA1m8 In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family would like donations made to any of Roger's visually impaired organizations listed below or contact his daughter Naomi Hrdina. Research, prevention, and restoring vision https://vision.wisc.edu/giving/ Plymouth WI Lions Club- Roger Behm Memorial Fund- helping people with visual impairments https://www.flipcause.com/hosted_widget/hostedWidgetHome/MTM0Mzc5 Helping people with visual impairments in need to obtain assistive technology https://wi.eye-link.org/ A private celebration of life will be held at a later date. In Roger’s honor, the family will be working on developing a scholarship fund and/or an annual golf outing to raise money for the visually impaired community. The Behm family is being assisted by HENKE-CLARSON FUNERAL HOME. Online condolences may be sent to www.henkeclarson.com.