Long-time Brookhaven business owner John McEvoy Behan diedMonday at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis.

Services for Behan are 10 a.m., Friday, Aug. 16, at St. Francisof Assisi Catholic Church with burial in Riverwood MemorialCemetery. Harrigill Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation will be Thursday, from 5-8 p.m., at the church. Afuneral mass will be also be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 14,at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Clayton, Mo.

Behan, 52, was president of Columbus Lumber Co., LLC, for anumber of years. He was also very active in the community sincemoving to Brookhaven in 1972 to join the family lumberbusiness.

“He was a real leader and one that was very compassionate,” saidhis nephew, Bill Behan.

John Behan was a member of the board of directors for TrustmarkBank and a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Heserved as chairman of the Industrial Development Foundation for twoyears, and was also a past president of the Mississippi LumberManufacturer’s Association.

He was also active in the Brookhaven/Lincoln County Chamber ofCommerce and Lincoln County Jr. Achievement.

“While he was born in St. Louis, he considered Brookhaven hishome,” said Bill Behan.

Bill Behan, who is also one of the owners of Columbus Lumber,commended John Behan’s kindness to Columbus Lumber Co.employees.

“We have 140 employees at Columbus Lumber. He knew almost all ofthem by name and knew most of their families,” said Bill Behan.

Survivors are his parents, W.L. Behan Jr., and Marjorie Behan,both of St. Louis; his wife, Kathryn Herbig Behan of Brookhaven;his son, John M. Behan Jr., of Brookhaven; his daughters, JenniferLambert Behan and Courtney Mahr Behan, both of Brookhaven; hisbrothers, W.L. Behan III, Dennis Behan, Patrick Behan and ThomasBehan, all of St. Louis; his sister, Barbara Behan Smith of St.Louis; his mother-in-law, Evelyn Herbig of St. Louis; and onegrandchild, Hanna Elizabeth Behan of Brookhaven.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to King’s DaughtersMedical Center Foundation, P.O. Box 3285, Brookhaven, MS 39601.