Richard Bechtold

Richard Bechtold always knew his life was a blessing, and he greeted each new day with the spirit of thanksgiving. His family was his greatest treasure, and he was the happiest in their warm company.

With the end of the Great War thousands of young soldiers returned to their civilian lives back home. Industry expanded rapidly to meet the new demands of a peacetime nation, and the economy soared. This marked the beginning of the Roaring Twenties, a decade of jazz music, prosperity, and celebration. In Grand Rapids, Michigan, Jacob Bechtold and his wife Gertrude Dalton discovered an additional reason to celebrate. They were expecting a child, and on June 6, 1921 they were blessed with the healthy birth of their son Richard Francis Bechtold.

"Dick" grew up in Grand Rapids in the house at 321 Garfield NW. While his mother stayed at home to raise the children, his father provided for the family as the owner of Bechtold Bros. Furniture. Dick was the second of five children; however, his elder brother died during child birth. He grew up with the companionship of his younger siblings, Virginia, Patricia, and Robert. In the summertime the entire family retreated to Grand Haven, Michigan to spend a few weeks in the “House that Jack Built,” which Dick’s father had built from the ground up.

Dick’s upbringing instilled a faith that would guide him throughout his life. The Bechtold family were devout members of St. James Catholic Church. Dick attended St. James Elementary School and Catholic Central High School where he was an honor student and a member of the band. He graduated in 1939. Dick then enrolled at the University of Notre Dame where he graduated with the Class of 1943 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Metallurgy. That same year, Dick married his hometown sweetheart.

Dick had known Mildred Quillin since the first grade. They were in the same class at St. James Elementary School. He was fifteen years old when he first asked her out on a date. They were twenty-one when she accepted his hand in marriage. The wedding was held at St. James Catholic Church on May 29, 1943. For their honeymoon, the newlyweds visited Muskegon and rented a hotel.

Following their marriage, Dick and Mim moved to Wilkinsburg, a small town just outside Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Dick was hired by Westinghouse Corporation as a metallurgist. This job kept him at home during the war. His draft notice was deferred because he was developing the steel for the B-52 bomber.

Dick and Mim rented an apartment in Wilkinsburg. Here they welcomed their first children, their daughter Margo. She was born on August 15, 1945. With the growth of his family, Dick felt the urge to return to his home state. He moved back to Grand Rapids and settled into a home on Jones Street. He took up a position at his father’s company, learning the ropes from the ground up. He eventually took over the company and led it for many years until his retirement.

In Grand Rapids Dick and Mim were blessed with three more children. Patti was born on June 13, 1947, followed by Sheri on December 13, 1950 and Jack on April 30, 1954. Dick was a natural father. He was proud of his children, and he always encouraged them to pursue their ambitions. Like Dick, his children received their spiritual education at St. James Church and Elementary School. Dick was an active member in the congregation. He belonged to the Golf League, Holy Name Society, Home and School President, and the Christian Family Organization.

During the summer time, Dick and Mim vacationed at the family cottage with the children. . Over the years the Dick and Mim visited Montreal and Maine. Later, Dick traveled to Ireland, and Alaska with his children. These vacations provided the setting for many wonderful memories. Dick enjoyed any vacation as long as the weather was pleasant. He loved the outdoors. One of his favorite hobbies was gardening. Each year he started all the flowers and vegetables from seed. He even dealt with hydroponic plants. His garden produced plenty of tomatoes, pickles, and peppers each year. He canned and froze his harvest, and he made many different types of jellies and jams. He remained active in his gardening until 2006.

Dick’s other hobbies included billiards and photography. He and Mim also shared a love for travel. In their later years they visited their son Jack in Florida.

Church was also a central part of Dick’s life. In the 1980’s he became a member of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. He sang in the church choir, their Resurrection Choir and the Schubert Men’s Choir. He also played the trumpet in the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band. Dick was frequently called upon to be the cantor at St. Ann’s Home Funerals. Singing was his form of ministry, and he was honored to do it. He also sang at many family weddings.

In the 1980’s Mlm developed dementia and, later, Alzheimer’s. Dick dedicated the next twelve years to her care. She passed away on June 25, 1996, after fifty-three years of marriage. Dick struggled through his grief by relying on the support of his family and his own faith. He became more involved with his singing ministry, and he also explored new hobbies. He learned how to use the computer and constructed the family tree, tracing the Irish roots on his mother’s side, and his German roots on his fathers side. He wrote his autobiography, and he spent a good deal of time with his family. He was blessed with several grandchildren, and he was always thrilled to spend time with them.

Dick was a loving husband, father, and grandpa who devoted his life to his family. He was a brilliant man who also appreciated the simpler things in life. Among the many people whose hearts he touched, he will be greatly missed and frequently remembered.

Dick died at Blodgett Hospital on his birthday, June 6, 2008, in the company of his daughters Margo and Sheri and his granddaughter Amy. He is survived by his children; Margo and Paul Heitzman, Patti and Dave Boruta, Sheri and Jay Vree, Jack and Cindy Bechtold; his 14 grandchildren, Brian (Coleen) Heitzman, Dan (Rhonda) Heitzman, Heidi (Joe) Dearden, Amy Borek (fiancée Brian Stuitje), Holly (Dr. Dan) O’Donnell, Dr. David (Tracy) Boruta, Michael Boruta, Patrick Boruta, Steven (Stacey) Vree, Ryan (Megan) Vree, Nicholas Vree, Richard (Stephanie) Bechtold, Luke (Amanda) Bechtold, Christian Bechtold; 17 great grandchildren; his sisters, Virginia (Dr. Robert) O’Brien, Patricia Rademacher; sister-in-law, Janette Bechtold; several nieces, nephews and many friends.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday morning at 11:00 AM at Holy Spirit Catholic Church (please meet at church). Entombment in Resurrection Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet his family at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW on Saturday from 7-9 and Sunday from 2-4 and 7-9 with a vigil service at 7:00 PM. Contributions in his memory may be made to Holy Spirit School Education Fund. Dicks family would like to thank the dedicated staff of Blodgett Hospital Ace Unit, Larry Treece and Community Caregivers and Covenant Village of the Great Lakes for the love and care given to them and their father the last few months. Special thanks to Veronica Rodriguez and Sonny – Activity Directors at Covenant Village.

To learn more about Dick’s life, please visit his web page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may sign the online guestbook or archive a favorite memory.