Joseph Bechtel

BECHTEL, WIRTH, GRUBER, LEPPERT, BUEGE

Posted By: Janet koozer (email)
Date: 11/21/2008 at 19:42:51

Joseph Bechtel, well known resident of Allamakee county, died late Friday night at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon where he had been a patient for several hours only.
He had been in failing health the past two years and two weeks ago became ill with the shingles followed by pneumonia.
Mr. Bechtel was one of a family of nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Sam Bechtel, residents of Center township. He was born April 15, 1868 on the Bechtel homestead near Church and has lived his entire life on the same farm.
On April 23,1895 he was married to Emma Wirth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Wirth of Makee township who survives him.
They became the parents of two daughters and two sons,namely:Mrs. Harold Gruber Makee township: Mrs. Dewey Leppert Mays Prairie: Frank on the home farm: and Leon of La Cross. An adopted daughter, Mrs. Harold Buege, lives at Castaria.There are eleven grandchildren and one great granddaughter.
Mr.Bechtel was one of the pioneer settlers who was born in a log cabin and who lived to see modern developments of today.
He was an industrious farmer and a good neighbor who had a host of friends, the Journal included,whose memory will linger long with them.
The remains reposed at the Martin Bros. funeral home until Monday afternoon when funeral services were held at the Congregational Church at Churchtown conducted by the Rev. Calvin Willemssen of Lansing.
Interment was made in the Lansing Ridge Cemetery not far from the Bechtel farm. Casket bearers were Fred Zimmerman, Sam Decker,Chas. Schellhammer, Herbert Hartong, Herman Kerndt and Theodore Wendel.