Thomas Behringer Jr. of Southampton Dies September 28

Thomas Edward Behringer Jr. of Southampton died peacefully at the East End Hospice Kanas Center for Hospice Care on Quiogue, surrounded by family, on September 28. He was 93.

He leaves behind a legacy of love for family, community, service, and memories that will be cherished by those who loved him, his family said.

Born to Thomas and Marie on April 5, 1930, in Brooklyn, he attended Rutgers Prep, The College of the Holy Cross, and Fordham Law School. In 1952, he married the love of his life, Maureen Murtha, with whom he would have six children. He moved his family from Nassau County to the East End of Long Island, where they raised their children and many pets in an old farm house in Water Mill.

After graduating from Holy Cross in 1951, where Behringer played football, he joined the U.S. Navy, ultimately becoming a lieutenant chief engineer on the destroyer escort DE-219, USS J. Douglas Blackwood. He left the Navy to pursue a career in law, graduating from Fordham Law in 1958 and moving his growing clan to Water Mill.

This move began a life of community and service, his family said, always with family first. Behringer was an active member of the Water Mill Community Club, as auctioneer in the Community Club auctions. Serving as a Suffolk County assistant district attorney, he ultimately became Southampton Town attorney, while also managing a busy private law practice. As a founding member of East Hampton National Bank, he went on to help organize the Bank of the Hamptons and Hamptons State Bank, where he served as director and chairman of the board for many years.

An avid and accomplished golfer, Behringer, along with his wife Maureen, enjoyed many days and evenings on courses from Shinnecock and Southampton, to Kiawah Island, and St. Andrews. One of his favorite stories occurred in 2003 when the couple won the Sir Ian Stewart trophy of St. Andrews, Scotland. In second place was His Royal Highness, Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and his partner.

The couple took many weekend ski trips to Okemo Mountain, where it was all about family and fun. Numerous tent camping vacations to St. John USVI were another family highlight. They later invested in a travel trailer, driving the family up and down the East Coast, stopping at Civil War battlefields along the way. From beach parties to cotillions, they had a wide circle of friends and enjoyed their lives to the fullest, his family said. They savored their retirement years as snowbirds on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, golfing, biking, and making new friends.

He was predeceased by his wife Maureen; his son Thomas III (Tim); his grandson Michael; and daughter-in-law, Cheryl. He is survived by his children, Kathleen Dayton, Michael, Brian (Tracy), Kevin (Karen), and Margaret D’Onofrio (Ronald); 14 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and his brother Donald (Joan) and family.

Services will be held at Brockett Funeral Home on Sunday, October 15, from 4-7 p.m., with a funeral Mass at the Basilica Parish of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary on Monday, October 16, at 10 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Surfers Healing Foundation (surfershealing.org) or East End Hospice (eeh.org) would be appreciated by the family.