EUGENE J. BECHEN 1926-2003

FRANZ, BECHEN, MCMAHON, JOHNSON, MOOTZ, LANGE, MCELMEEL, NEYENS

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 11/11/2003 at 20:06:55

Eugene J. Bechen

Telegraph Herald - Sunday, September 14, 2003

Eugene J. "Gene" Bechen, 77, of 3428 Kimberly Drive, died at 11:15 a.m. Friday, Sept. 12, 2003, at Mercy Medical Center-Dubuque.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Resurrection Catholic Church. Burial will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, where military rites will be accorded by the American Legion, Dubuque Post 6. Friends may call from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Egelhof, Siegert & Casper Westview Funeral Home, 2659 Kennedy Road, where there will be a Resurrection Parish Christian wake service at 5 p.m.

Mr. Bechen was a salesperson at the Big Shoe Store and Barker's Shoe Store. He later was display manager at Montgomery Ward store until it closed. He was owner and operator of Gene's Main Street Tap, retiring in 1995.

He was born on Sept. 8, 1926, in Dubuque, son of Emil and Edna (Franz) Bechen. He married the former Catherine McMahon on Aug. 7, 1948, at St. Raphael's Cathedral.

He was a veteran of World War II, serving with the Army in the Philippines and Japan. He was a member of Resurrection Catholic Church and the American Legion, Dubuque Post 6.

He enjoyed his grandchildren, shopping and the Diamond Jo Casino. He was an avid euchre player and a Green Bay Packer, Iowa Hawkeye and Chicago White Sox fan. He also enjoyed traveling and visiting friends.

Surviving are his wife, Catherine (McMahon) Bechen; two daughters, Deborah (Dennis) Johnson, of Farley, Iowa, and Cathy (Stephen) Mootz, of Dubuque; two sons, Michael Bechen and David (Janice) Bechen, both of Dubuque; 10 grandchildren, Lisa, Melissa, Anna, Lindsey and Christopher Bechen, Keri (Tim) Lange, and Brian, Andy (Katie), Cory and Kelli (Mike) Johnson; three step grandchildren, Laura (Jeff) McElmeel and Lisa and Eric Mootz; eight great- grandchildren and a great-step granddaughter; and four brothers, Robert (Ann) Bechen, of Cuba City, Wis., Raymond (Betty) Bechen, and Joseph (Ellen) Bechen, both of Dubuque, and Edward (Lorraine) Bechen, of Pittsburgh.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a brother, Donald Bechen; a sister-in-law, Grace Bechen; a brother-in-law, Robert Neyens; and a great-grandson, John Edward Lange.

A Gene Bechen Memorial Fund has been established.

The family wishes to thank Drs. Schultheis and Payne, and the Mercy Medical Center staff for their compassionate care.