Maurine Vestal Behrend

Maurine Vestal (Rowe) Behrend was born July 28, 1944 at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital in Oakland, California. She came into the world as her Dad was flying over the Atlantic Ocean as a Navy pilot during World War II. In her earliest memory, her Dad came home from the war and was in the hospital recovering from his wounds. She was so excited to meet him that she drew him a picture. She remembered if she turned the picture upside down it kind of looked like a car. The nurses at the hosptial were impressed with her artistic skills since she was only a toddler. Their family expanded to include her younger brothers, Bobby and Dennis. They lived in Berkeley and San Francisco while their Dad was in college and medical school. In 1951 they moved back to the cenral valley where she grew up in Madera, in the house her Mother would live until her death in 2016. According to her Mother, Maurine "was perfect"-always had such a happy disposition and a vivid imagination. Maurine loved learning, was a really good student, a competitive swimmer and enjoyed playing other sports like volleyball and basketball. She attended St. Joachim's Catholic elementary school in Madera from the second through eighth grade. Looking back on elementary school, she remembered that her teachers, who were mostly dedicated and enthusiastic religious sisters cared just as much about teaching faith and values as academic subjects. A loving place to go to school.

After eighth grade, Maurine attended Madera Union High School where she met the love of her life-Wayne Behrend- a handsome football player with a great laugh! Their first date was to the "Cupid's Delight" dance. It was a "backwards dance" so Maurine asked Wayne and he said "Yes". According  to Wayne it was "love at first sight". In high school Maurine and Wayne liked going to the Big Top drive in restaurant where they would order Cherry Lime Rickys. Maurine was a cheerleader throughout high school and in her senior year competed in the state finals. It was held during half time of a 49er game and they won the state championships! Maurine always loved to sing and her choir was chosen to sing at the 1960 Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Squaw Valley. In 1962, Maurine graduated from high school as Salutatorian of her class. Her Dad told her she could go to any college she wished, but he would only pay for the University of California at Berkeley. LOL! 

Maurine attended Cal from 1962-1965 majoring in Social Sciences. Coming from a small town, her time at UC Berkeley definitely opened her up to a bigger world. While in college, she spent two summers teaching English and instructing swimming in Apaseo el Grande, Mexico, where she became fluent in Spanish. Maurine would reflect back on her time in Mexico with many fond memories, and those experiences working in another country would impact her throughout her life. Wayne and Maurine continued to date on and off throughout their time at Cal.

Wayne received a job offer from Ford Motor Company, assigned to Seattle and the two high school sweethearts were married October 2, 1965. While living in Seattle, Maurine attended classes at the University of Washington, changing her major to Biological Sciences. In Seattle she learned how to cook and sew, and came to excel at both. Maurine and Wayne welcomed their first child, Todd, on October 1, 1966. They later moved to San Diego where they welcomed their daughter, Wendy, on July 29, 1969. Shortly after that, they moved to Huntington Beach in Southern California. In the five years they lived in Huntington Beach, Maurine was very active in the co-op preschool program and very involved in their Catholic church. She played beach volleyball and tennis, taught herself how to play the guitar, and got involved in local politics, even going door to door registering people to vote.

In 1975 the family of four moved to San Ramon. Maurine and Wayne got involved in the marriage encounter program, which is where they met many of their lifelong friends. It was during "love circles," monthly gathering of couples in homes, that strengthened these friendships and were fortunate to become one of the founding families of St. Joan of Arc Parish. Maurine became a hotline volunteer for Contra Costa Crisis and Suicide Intervention Center and was involved in San Ramon Valley Community Against Substance Abuse. Maurine worked many years as the Pastoral Minister at St. Joan of Arc where she supervised the high school and young adult programs and coordinated confirmation programs, retreats, adult education and parish renewal groups. At St. Joan of Arc, she was responsible for starting many programs that are still thriving today. 

In 1986, Maurine received her Masters in Theology from the Franciscan School of Theology, Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. Maurine was one of only a few women in the Oakland Diocese that was asked to give homilies during weekend mass. Maurine worked for the Department of Catechetical Ministries for the Diocese of Oakland where she coordinated the diocesan Youth Day and SPLUNGE retreat. She served on the planning team for the diocesan REACH Process, which put together a four day social justice experience for young people. 

In 1998, Maurine formed a non-profit organization called "Tri Valley Interfaith Poverty Forum" to help people move from welfare to work, and trained faith communities throughout the East Bay to help their cities meet California State housing goals. She was a regular at city council meetings all over the Tri-Valley, sharing stories of people's struggle for affordable housing. Maurine also worked as director for the local Catholic Campaign for Human Development office at Catholic Charities of the East Bay where she was a grant writer for non-profit organizations. It was at her work with Tri Valley Interfaith Poverty Forum and Catholic Charities of the East Bay that she thrived and she was most proud of her accomplishments there.

Maurine also enjoyed many hobbies including golf, scrapbooking, writing poetry and decorating using the principles of feng shui! Her greatest blessings, which brought her the most joy, came in the form of six grandchildren that she believed were the six most wonderful people to ever grace the earth. 

In 2009, Maurine was diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment most likely to lead to Alzheimer's. She was already familiar with the disease as her paternal Grandmother also suffered from Alzheimer's for many years. Though Alzheimer's slowly took her from us, she continued to give us blessings each and every day of her life. We are not sure if she was aware that her beloved son, Todd, passed away this past summer. We do think he helped call her home to heaven, finally ending the illness that had trapped her for so many years. Maurine passed away peacefully, in her home, with her husband and daughter by her side on October 30, 2020.