Michael Keith Behm
January 14, 1954 - June 23, 2012
Obituary
Mike Behm died Saturday, June 23, at Lake Tapps, Washington. Mike was born January 14, 1954, in Pasadena, California, of Bob & Eunice (Chris) Behm. He grew up in Springfield, Oregon.
Mike was raised in a family where service and dedication to country were the norm. Mike’s father was a Korean War Veteran who served in the U.S. Navy. Mike joined the U.S. Army, along with four of his high school friends, after graduation. He served six years in Germany and then at Fort Lewis, Washington.
In 1977, at age 23, he joined the Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office, where he served for ten years. His assignments included serving on patrol, the SWAT team, dive team, Search and Rescue, and Special Investigations Unit.
In March of 1989, Mike became a member of the King County Sheriff’s Office family. Mike started his career with KCSO working patrol before transferring to the Advanced Training Unit in 1991. Continuing in his mentoring and training role, Mike transferred back to patrol as an MPO and then worked as a Crime Analysis Officer and then in Community Policing.
Mike’s real passion was in training. In 1998 he transferred back to the Training Unit and was just coming up on his 14th year in a vital role in the training of new King County recruits and the on-going in-service training of his colleagues.
Mike was preceded in death by his father, Bob Behm, who died five days prior to Mike in Albany, Oregon. He was preceded in death by his son, Michael T., and his brother, Randy.
Survivors include his mother (Chris), son (Corey), niece (Stephanie), nephew (Neal), and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Funeral arrangements are by Bonney Watson with a service on Monday, July 2, 11:00 a.m. at the WSCJTC in Burien. Private interment will be on Tuesday at Tahoma National Cemetery. Contributions may be made to the S.H.E.R.I.F.F. Fund.
Thanks for everything you’ve taught me Mike……you will be missed.
You were a kind man who taught countless people to become better at their job. I always enjoyed small talk with you. You truly are missed. Rest in piece brother.
Your love of training was only surpassed by your love of your family. Whether it was your law enforcement family or your immediate family, it didn’t matter to you. You live in on in all the lives that you touched and the memories that those that love you hold.
You leave a lasting legacy in the Sheriff’s Office of all that you trained and all that became trainers becasue of you. We just need to listen with our hearts now instead of our ears.
Thanks for showing me the way…You are missed Brother…. Rest in Peace.
What a great guy! He will be missed.
We’ll miss your sense of humor and your perspective on everything.
It was an honor to know you. They say you can’t pick your family, but you can pick your friends. I am glad you were family, because they don’t come any better.
Only fond and loving memories. I laugh everytime I think of the Wise River.
You are gone far too soon.
I will always remember your devotion to training new officers and the good times we had making fun of them. This job will be a little emptier now.
Rest well, my friend. We shall meet again.
Billy
Mike, You were a mainstay at our Advanced Training Unit, Always helpfull and patient. Our paths crossed many times over the years and you will be missed. Rest easy brother in the Mansions of the Lord.
A good man has moved along and left us all behind. They say things happen for a reason, and Mike must have been needed for a greater cause. Rest easy, old friend, and watch over us all.
My thoughts and prayers are with Chris and her family.
I’m going to miss hearing your stories Mike. You had some great stories to share! Rest in Peace.
Your passion for training and promoting the safety of our Deputies will be your legacy to the Sheriff’s Office Mike. Your time with us was too short and your leaving much to early…Rest in Peace.
Jackie, Justin, Kerri and I are going to miss you Mike! We already do. I heard about your passing via an email. Darn it Mike!
Mike was one of our close family friends for decades and will always be rememberd as a part of this family in many ways. He has been and will always in our thoughts! We weren’t in constant contact with each other after going down different career paths but we were never too far away from each other and picked up where we left off when we did get together. Mike’s quite often a part of our discussions with family and others, will always be remembered for all of the things we did together and for his total dedication to our chosen careers, law enforcement.
Mike, you’re taking a well deserved break! I only wish I would’ve dropped by and visited with you a bit more over the past couple of years. When at CJTC for functions we’d always seem to hook up and have a “catch up” chat. I looked forward to those times when I had business up that way.
As always, you’re leading the charge. I’ll catch up with you again one of these days. Until then, rest in peace good friend! No more marathon pinochle dude!
Thanks for being the friend you are. Dennis and Jackie.
Mike, I’m really going to miss you man, 35 years together, a life time of memories, seems like yesterday we started out at Grays Harbor, spent the first 10 years together doing it all, the academy,swat.patrol,dive team, investigations seems like I have never not had you with me, its not going to be the same. You have always been there no matter what the situation, personal, professional we always had each others back.You are one of the best I have ever known at our line of work, you taught me so much. I owe alot to you.You were always just a phone call away, always there when I needed help. Rest in peace now my brother. Your off duty, until we see each other again, watch over us. I love you bro……….
I will always cherish the memories and hold them tight to my heart. You taught me so much about life, police work and love. You tried to teach me about politics too which was a very slow work in progress. You were so passionate about life, training, friends and family. I was one lucky girl to have you in my life. Godspeed Michael.
Love,
Squirt
Mike, I learned so much from you. How fortunate for me that I met you early in my police career. Whatever professional success I have or will achieve I owe in large part to your influence. You were a great mentor and friend both on and off duty. Without you my sons probably would never have gone “mutton busting.” They still talk about Peggy Sue. I tried to tell them just how dumb sheep really are but that was just their dad talking. Josh and David still laugh when they talk about Peggy Sue being too stupid to roll herself over when you put her on her back. There are so many major events that we shared together but now its the little things that seem to mean the most. I miss you old friend. You are leaving many friends and a great legacy. Job well done Mike, rest in peace.
Mike, What didnt we do comes to mind. You were a partner in SWAT, Dive Team (until that nasty rash from neoprene), Special Investigations Unit, Patrol Division…. You were a personal friend off duty that caused us many an adventure and holding each other up, as well as holding each other back at times. Helping a few others now anf then too. Changes in career locations and eventually across the state apart, you were always on my mind. I cant wait to meet up with you again someday and talk about our times together. Be at peace now because the rest of us will catch up to you soon enough and we will all start the fun all over again! Love ya Bro.
Mike, Rick Scott and I worked homicide in Quinalt shortly after I came to the SO from St. Louis County, PD. Mike completed my PADI Scuba Diving course and we served on the GHCSO dive team together. When I left the Harbor and went federal in law enforcement, Mike gave me sound advice that served me well, he said, “you will not deal with many truly bad people in this job – you will mostly deal with good people, having a bad day.”
I retired as Chief of Police for a large federal agency and insistted that my fellow officers learn Mike’s message. I will be forever greatful that I served with Mike Behm!
Robbie
As twilight falls upon the air,
I close my eyes but you’re not there.
I see the darkness but no light
I wish I could see you in the night.
Your sweet smile you’d always share,
or the way you combed your hair.
A wink I’d see as quick as it was,
and gave it to me, just because.
And then you’d smile that slow grin,
I knew at that moment I’d be your friend.
When you teased or showed you care
I always wanted to ruffle your hair.
A giggle or laugh and a story to tell,
was how you taught me, it was swell.
I loved to listen, sitting by your side,
as you painted a picture of your life.
With words so gracefully wound in a tale,
You’d share your story without fail.
Of how the trees whispered in the wind,
Or the sun shown upon your skin.
Your eyes would sparkle with a twinkle so quick,
I wasn’t sure I had captured it.
A dream so pressed upon my mind
coming from you wasn’t hard to find.
But if you listen carefully
You’ll know I’m sharing happily,
A time so precious, shared with you
Is what I’ll miss. Oh! What shall I do?
I pray I give to you, with all my heart
the love we shared as we part.
Hold it preciously close at hand,
Never letting go if you can.
Rest in peace my friend.
I’m so sorry I did not get to say good Bye.
We miss you, Mike! You’ve been taken away too soon.
We are so glad we had the chance to know you, hear your stories, and have lots of laughs with you!
I know Tucker & Maverick are wondering where you’ve been, but don’t worry, they are taken care of.
Rest in peace, until we meet again.
Love,
Lorelei, Rory, & Butch.
Mike, I always enjoyed visiting with you whenever I attended any training classes or when I was at the academy. Our conversations started out with topics related to police work, but then we got down to the important hobbies away from work- hunting & fishing!! I also enjoyed looking at either the new guns or knifes you had just purchased. God Bless you Mike.
You’re training still guides me every day Mike. Keep a cold one for me.
THURSTON SR HIGH ALUMNI WILL MISS YOU.
Dear Behm Family, I’m so sorry for your loss of Mike, I woirked with him many years ago at GHSO. Mike was such a pransker and he loved playing jokes on everyone, He made all of us laugh so much! Hold onto your good memories, they will keep your heart warm forever. Lynn Drake
Be at rest my friend. And may God be with your family.
great nieghbor, always friendly,,, will miss him around,, Rory and Lorelei
I was excited to see my ‘old’ high school buddies and then I heard the news.
Oh gosh,no.
Thanks for being a friend when we went to junior high and high school together. You and Chad opened up your cramped locker to me when I transferred back to Thurston what a simple but deeply appreciated gesture. We organized and ran in the then, world record setting 101 mile relay race as 8th graders…we didn’t know what we were doing we just went out and did it.
RIP