Audrey Ellen Behrendt

Audrey Ellen Behrendt age 82 of Liberal, passed at 6:00 a.m., July 29, 2012 in her home in Liberal. A native of Turpin, Oklahoma was born in a sod house just south of Dombey, Oklahoma. She was the daughter of the late Josiah Kermit and Bessie Belle Ray. She attended Turpin High School and began college at Panhandle in Goodwell, Oklahoma, where she meet and then married Vernon Theodore Behrendt on March 18, 1949.
They took up residence in Liberal, where their 4 children were born. Vernon began working for Skelly Oil and Audrey and family began moving around the country. She made homes for her family in Trenton, Nebraska; Valley Center, Kansas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Salina, Kansas; Springfield, Missouri and Liberal, Kansas. The family moved back to Liberal in 1974, and have been busy in the community ever since.
Audrey enjoyed raising her kids and grandkids. She loved working in her yard and growing a huge garden. She also loved quilting during the winter for her family. Audrey worked with her younger daughter to open a ceramics and craft business which they ran together for 12 years. She was also involved with Ada when she started doing beautification for the City of Liberal by supplying plants and seeds for the many flower beds that were put in around Liberal.
She was preceded in death by her parents Josiah and Bessie Ray, Turpin, her sister Betty Plett and husband Leroy of Albuquerque, N.M., her brother Kermit Ray, Turpin, Ok. and son-in-law Leornard Buddenhagen, Baltimore, Maryland.
Audrey is survived by her husband Vernon T. Behrendt married of 63 years. Cousin Helen Harper, and sister-in law Nancy Ray of Turpin, Ok. Daughters Cathy Buddenhagen and Ada Linenbroker with companion Jack Rich of Liberal. Two sons Terry Behrendt and wife Mae of Wichita, Ks. and Teddy and wife Terrie of Turpin, Ok., three grandson Christopher Linenbroker and wife Penny, Daniel Buddenhagen of Liberal, and Joey Behrendt and wife Cynthia of Turpin, Ok. four granddaughters April Sawyer and husband Darin, and Alison Boyd of Wichita, Ks., Becky Bridensteine and husband Matthew of Las Vegas, Nv., Jessica Rogers and husband Michael of Turpin, Ok. She is also survived by 12 great grandchildren Kailey and Divan Linenbroker of Liberal, Brianna, Alexis and Zackery Behrendt, and Braxton Rogers of Turpin, Ok, Paige, Blake and Carter Sawyer, and Cameron, Sabin and Jordan Boyd of Wichita, Ks.
Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 pm Tuesday at Brenneman Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Steve B. Saville presiding. Burial will be held in Restlawn Cemetery.
Visitation time will be held 1 to 5 pm Monday at Brenneman Funeral Home.
Memorial Contributions may be sent to Seward County Historical Society in care of Brenneman