Obituary of Maria Franziska Behr

Maria Franziska Behr, age 97, of High Bridge, NJ died Saturday, December 7, 2013 at the Fritz Reuter Lifecare Retirement Community in North Bergen, NJ. Maria was born March 8, 1916 in Bellheim, Germany. She was the daughter of the late Heinrich and the late Anna (Seubert) Bisson. Maria came to the United States from Germany in 1935 and married Wilhelm L.C. Waack in 1936 and then returned back to Germany, where Wilhelm died in 1960. She married Michael Hoefer in 1948 and then returned to the United States in 1950. After Michael's, death in 1963, Maria married Arthur Behr in 1973 and resided in Oak Ridge, NJ for many years. They loved to go fishing and hunting and took many trips to various places in the United States and Canada. Arthur died in 2004 at the age of 93. Maria was trained as a Tayloress/Seamstress in Germany and worked here in the United States for many major companies such as Saks 5th Avenue as well as many private clients. She often made dresses and costumes for Schwaebischer Saengerbund members for their musical activities. Maria loved music and was a longtime member of Schwaebischer Gesang Verein. She was a parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle RC Church in Oak Ridge, NJ. She is survived by her daughter, Marianne Welenteychik & her husband, Steven of High Bridge, NJ and her son, Walter Bisson & his wife, Sharon of Lakeland, FL., and her cherished 8 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and 12 great-great children. Additional survivors include her, 2 nieces, 4 nephews and their families. In addition to her 3 husbands, Maria was pre-deceased by her sons; Karl Heinz and Johan Walter, her sisters; Anna Bisson, Elisabeth (Liesel) Strodel and Wilma Spindler and her brothers; Emil Bisson and Heinrich Bisson. Maria's Life Celebration will include visitation on Wednesday, December 11th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Martin Funeral Home, 1761 Route 31, Clinton, NJ. There will be a funeral mass at 10:00 am on Thursday, December 12th at St. Ann RC Church, 30 Main Street, Hampton, NJ. The interment will immediately follow at the Holy Redeemer Cemetery in South Plainfield, NJ. For memorial donations, please consider Fritz Reuter Lifecare Retirement Community, 3161 John F Kennedy Blvd. W, North Bergen, NJ 07047.