Former 40-year Wisconsin State Journal staffer Clifford Charles William “Cliff” Behnke died on Sunday, June 15, 2025, at BrightStar Senior Living in Madison at age 80 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Behnke’s life was detailed in a story that appeared in the June 18, 2025 issue of the State Journal.
According to the story and his online obituary:
Born on Aug. 12, 1944, in Green Bay to Clifford Frederick and Loney (Lemke) Behnke, Cliff Behnke graduated from Fox Valley Lutheran High School in Appleton in 1962. While attending what is now UW-Madison, he worked as editor-in-chief of The Daily Cardinal student newspaper and was inducted into the Iron Cross Honor Society. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1967.
Behnke began working at the State Journal while still in school and returned there after two years in the U.S. Army. While serving he was stationed at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. and worked for the Pentagram News, published by the headquarters of the Military District of Washington.
Behnke received the Army Commendation Medal for his work on Richard Nixon’s first inaugural parade, assisting the 82nd Airborne Division in Washington, D.C. during the riots following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., and dealing with the media covering the burial of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetery and the funeral of Dwight D. Eisenhower at Washington’s National Cathedral.
At the State Journal for 40 years, Behnke began his career there as a reporter and covered events that included the Sterling Hall bombing, the merger of the University of Wisconsin and state university systems, and several anti-Vietnam War protests — some of which were violent. He then became city editor, managing editor and finally senior managing editor, retiring in 2006.
“Cliff was fair to a fault, unrelenting in attention to the letter of the stylebook law, cautious with drunks and impatient with telephone cranks,” said former reporter and columnist George Hesselberg in the story authored by Barry Adams. “Praise from him was city desk currency — rare and treasured.”
Susan Lampert Smith, a reporter and later a columnist, also recalled Behnke’s attention to detail. Hired as a part-time reporter in 1982, Lampert Smith became a full time reporter in 1984 and left the paper in 2008.
“He once made me write a correction because I called Bucky Badger a rodent and Badgers are actually in the weasel family,” said Lampert Smith, who had written a story about students auditioning to become the costumed mascot. “I was not a Cliff kind of reporter because I was all about the story, and details be damned. I didn’t appreciate (it) at the time but do now.”
During his retirement, Behnke worked 13 seasons at the Bruce Company Garden Center in Middleton.
Behnke’s survivors include his wife of 48 years, Sharyn; their son, Tom, and his wife, Ann; and a grandson, Brooks. Funeral services have been scheduled for 4 p.m. on July 10 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, which is located at 1701 McKenna Blvd., with a visitation beginning at 3 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. Condolences may be made online at www.gundersonfh.com.
