Memorial Service for Roland Behnke age 90, of Frederick, Oklahoma, will be at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, April 26, 2023. at the First Baptist Church, 201 East Grand Avenue, Frederick, Oklahoma, with Roy Jay officiating.  He passed away Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at the Wilbarger General Hospital in Vernon, Texas.   Arrangements are under the direction of Jackson Funeral Home of Frederick, Oklahoma.

Roland Max Behnke was born on August 11, 1932 to Max Herbert and Martha Pauline (Jaster) Behnke in Cego, Texas.   He graduated with the Class of 1949 from Chilton High School, Chilton, Texas.  He attended Texas A&M College, later transferring to Baylor University.  Roland was united in marriage to Wanda Lee Lassetter on June 24, 1955 in Bosqueville, Texas.  Roland served in the United States Army during the post Korean conflict era.

After Bro. Roland was called to the ministry in 1966, he attended Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.  Together, he and Wanda served churches in Oklahoma, Texas and Oregon, before their appointment in 1980 to the North American Mission Board.  They were a team and served as Pastoral Missionary Associates starting and developing churches in the Glenwood Springs - Aspen area in Colorado, until their retirement in 1990.  They continued to serve an additional eleven years there pastoring and encouraging churches.  Bro. Roland and Wanda moved to Frederick in September 2001 and in 2002, he was called to pastor Bethel Baptist Church, west of Frederick.  He was currently a member of the First Baptist Church of Frederick.   Bro. Roland was a sweet-spirited man who loved the Lord and never turned down an opportunity to fill a pulpit to share the Gospel.

Roland is survived by his daughter, Laura Elaine Keaton of Frederick, Oklahoma; his son, Chad Aaron Behnke of Glenwood Springs, Colorado; six grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, his wife, Wanda Lee, his son, Darren Trent Behnke, and his sister, Ella Mae Mitchell.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church of Frederick.