By Chris Mayhew
The Cincinnati Enquirer

FORT MITCHELL - Thomas W. "Tommy" Behle, who reinvigorated the restaurant business in downtown Covington by opening Behle Street Cafe in 1994, died Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice in Covington of complications from cancer. He was 50.

In the past 35 years, Behle worked at, managed and partially owned some of the best-known eateries in Greater Cincinnati.

He sold his first restaurant, Behle Street, in April to a former employee.

In 2002, he opened a Behle Street location in Fort Mitchell, now Tommy's To Go.

Working with his father while in his teens, Behle learned firsthand what it took to run a restaurant. His father, Tom Sr., was a bartender at well-known spots such as the Town & Country in Park Hills.

"He comes from a hospitality family," said Jerry Deters, who founded and owns The Drawbridge Inn in Fort Mitchell.

Behle got his first real job in the industry in 1972 as a busboy at the Drawbridge.

Other restaurants Behle worked at or managed included: The Conservatory; The Carousel Motor Inn; The Glass Menagerie; The Lookout House; Victoria Station; Mike Fink's and Beverly Hills.

"He always gave 100 percent to his customers," said his wife for 27 years, Cathy A. Cimarosti Behle.

He enjoyed his restaurant business since day one, she said.

Other survivors: three daughters, Marissa Behle of Cincinnati, and Sarah Behle and Rachael Behle, both of Fort Mitchell; his mother, Susan A. Averdick Behle of Fort Mitchell; two brothers, Jimmy of Villa Hills and Patrick of Florence, and four sisters, Suzanne Behle of Crestview Hills, Sandy Schultz of Fort Wright, Sally Hochman of Fort Mitchell and Sheila Wolf of Park Hills.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to noon and the Mass of Christian burial will be at noon Friday at Blessed Sacrament Church in Fort Mitchell. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery in Fort Mitchell. Memorials: St. Elizabeth Hospice Program, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, KY 41014-9988.

---

E-mail cmayhew@enquirer.com