Lee Bechtold

Lee W. Bechtold, 91, of Vienna passed away Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at his residence surrounded by family.Mr. Bechtold was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a son of the late Howard B. and Marie B. Dollman Bechtold.His wife, the love of his life, Jennie Stanar Bechtold preceded him in death March 9, 2011. Lee is survived by his daughter and her husband, Linda and Thomas McCormick of Vienna and one son, Dr. Lee Jonathan Bechtold of Vienna; three grandchildren, Jonathan Bechtold, Kristin Bechtold and Elizabeth McCormick; two great grandchildren, Jonathan Gage Bechtold and Adalynn Bechtold.In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by four sisters, Edetha, Mary Louise, Leota and Anna Marie; one brother Howard. Lee graduated from Penn Hills High School where he was an outstanding athlete in football, basketball, and boxing.He captained his football team and was named to the interscholastic All Star Team.Upon graduation, Lee chose to serve his country in World War II, enlisting in the U.S. Navy.He served aboard the USS Enright in the Pacific Theater and was awarded the Pacific Theater Ribbon. Returning from war, Mr. Bechtold enrolled at West Liberty State College receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree.He was a member of the West Liberty State College football team which played 42 games without defeat, ranking as the best small college team in the nation.His best memory of West Liberty was meeting his future wife Jennie who many remember as a long time educator in the Wood County school system.Lee received a Master of Arts degree in Secondary Education and Social Sciences from West Virginia University and also attended Case-Western University. Mr. Bechtold served as a Special Investigator, Classification Officer, and Parole Agent for the State Division of Corrections prior to becoming the Director, Chief Investigator and Probation officer for the Wood County Court.He was elected Sheriff of Wood County for the term 1968-1972.In 1972, Mr. Bechtold was named Deputy Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and later was appointed Director of the Governor's Highway Safety Program in West Virginia.In 1976, Mr. Bechtold was re-elected to Wood County Sheriff serving two terms until 1984. He was honored to serve as President of the West Virginia Sheriff’s Association. He was appointed by the governor in 1985 as Commissioner of the West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.In 1988 he was named Distinguished West Virginian by the governor of the state of West Virginia. He was also named Civitan Man of the Year. Lee was an active member of the Memorial Church of the Good Shepherd where he was a past Vestryman and teacher of the young adult class. In addition to public service and church, Lee was very active in civic, fraternal and community organizations.Participation included: Vice President of the University Park Lions Club, Deputy Commissioner of the West Virginia Athletic Commission, Committee Chairman of the Boy Scout Troop 98, VFW, Wood County Farm Bureau, Parkersburg Masonic Lodge 169, Order of the Eastern Star, Scottish Rite and Shrine, the Southeastern Communities improvement Association, the Advisory committee for Vocational Rehabilitation, past committee chairman of the Boy's Club, the National Crime and Delinquency Council, the Parkersburg Community Concert and the Parkersburg Humane Society. Lee will be remembered most as a constant and devoted companion to his wife Jennie; children Linda and Jon and grandchildren. The Reverend Marjorie Bevans will officiate private services at the convenience of the family with entombment in the Bechtold Family mausoleum at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.There will be no visitation. With concern for young future educators, the family requests in lieu of flowers, Memorials be made to:The Jennie Bechtold Memorial Scholarship Fund, P.E.O. Foundation, 3700 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50312.