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IN MEMORIAM H. BERNARD BECHTEL (1922-2009)

Rich Z

Rich Z

Administrator
Staff member
Administrator
Insiders Club
In Memoriam: H. B. Bechtel
Monday, July 13, 2009: Lawrence, Kansas - CNAH
CNAH ANNOUNCEMENT
The Center for North American Herpetology
Lawrence, Kansas
http://www.cnah.org
13 July 2009

IN MEMORIAM H. BERNARD BECHTEL (1922-2009)

Dr. H. Bernard Bechtel, of Valdosta, Georgia, died suddenly on Friday, 10 July 2009 in Gainesville, Florida, en route to visit family. He was born on 2 October 1922 near the small western Pennsylvania village of New Enterprise. While he was still an infant, the family moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania where his father obtained work in a dairy. He attended public schools in Johnstown, graduating from Johnstown Central High School in 1940, and began to attend the University of Pittsburgh Johnstown Center. This was interrupted when he enlisted in the Army Air Force, where he became an aerial gunner. He participated in 30 missions over Germany as a gunner on B-17s. Following the war, he completed his pre-medical studies at Juniata College in Huntington, Pennsylvania. He received his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia in 1950. Following an internship at Reading General Hospital in Reading, Pennsylvania, he established a general practice in Johnstown. In 1955, he married Elizabeth Reimet of Moorestown, New Jersey. In 1956, he accepted a residency in dermatology at the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis. He practiced dermatology in Johnstown from 1959 until 1963, when he and his wife, Bette, moved to Valdosta, where he practiced until he retired in 1997. He was Diplomate in The American Academy of Dermatology.

From a very early age, Dr. Bechtel was an avid student of reptiles, turtles, crocodilians, and amphibians; he was a herpetologist as well as being a dermatologist. He published a book and numerous publications, mostly pertaining to his area of expertise in snake genetics, for which he was widely known. His wife Bette was his partner in this and became a recognized herpetologist on her own after their marriage. Dr. Bechtel is survived by his wife, Bette Bechtel of Valdosta; sister, Alma Mountain of Johnstown, Pennsylvania; two nephews, Joe Mountain of Fort Pierce, Florida, and Ned Mountain of Sautee Nacoochee, Georgia.

Dr. Bechtel requested no flowers. Donations may be made to his favorite charity, The National Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 100, Arlington, Va., 22203-1606. Condolences to the family may be conveyed on the obituary page at

www.mclanefuneralservices.com

The CNAH Board of Directors extends its sympathy to the family and friends of Bernard Bechtel.
 
What a great loss. He had a great run and definitely made his mark on our hobby. His efforts immortalize him and I would have been proud to have known him. RIP, Sir.
 
This is a sad loss for all those who care about nature, and herps in particular. RIP, Dr. Bechtel. Our prayers go out for his friends and family.
 
Yeah... Connie and I have been bummed out ever since I found this in my email inbox today. For the past several years we've been meaning to drive up to Valdosta to visit with the Bechtels, but the time just never came available or we were bouncing from one emergency to another. We kept saying, "maybe next week", or "maybe next month", or "maybe the next time things slow down around here..." I feel like crap that I didn't get to talk to Dr. B. one last time. He was extremely interesting to talk to, and I truly regret I'll never get to speak to him again..... :cry:
 
This past Friday (7/24) Connie and I drove up to Valdosta, GA to attend the memorial service for Dr. Bechtel. It was standing room only pretty quickly as the seats filled up, and I was quite surprised at the number of people attending. Mostly older, professional looking crowd, probably medical professionals and professors. Matter of fact, I felt quite the youngster in that group, if that gives you an idea. I was rather surprised that I didn't recognize a soul there.

There were several speakers, but most noteworthy were Dr. Bechtel's nephews, who he apparently had a large hand in raising when their father passed away when they were young. It was apparent that Dr. Bechtel's death came as no surprise to anyone, and also as apparent was the fact that Dr. Bechtel himself had a hand in requesting how this memorial would proceed. From music selections, to topic matter, to the display of memorabilia on a table. Dr. Bechtel was apparently ill for a long time, so he certainly had no illusions about this day not being inevitable and planned accordingly. But just as evident was that it did not stop him from living to the fullest, regardless.

What I found most striking about the whole affair was how so obviously proud Dr. Bechtel was of his work and involvement with corn snakes. Nearly all of the speakers spent a good amount of time discussing this aspect of Dr. Bechtel's life, and yet is seemed so out of place with the audience present. But it was glaringly apparent that Dr. Bechtel considered this as the high point and focus of his life. Which although it seems obvious when I think back upon my discussions in person with Dr. Bechtel, nonetheless it is humbling to reflect on that when considering how full his life must have been with his own profession in the medical field.

At the end of the service Connie and I spoke with Mrs. Bechtel for a bit. What do you say to someone who lost the life partner they had for better than 50 years? You can't help but to put yourself in those shoes yourself and think how devastating the emptiness must feel. But what amazing compassion and forethought had to go into the decision to have this memorial two weeks after Dr. Bechtel's actual death. I think had it been more recent, it would have been an extremely difficult time to bear.... It's just not manly to cry in public, but even then, there was a lot of dust around that got into people's eyes....

Oh the one thing that is pretty much burned into my brain from that day was a notable photograph taken on the Bechels' wedding day as they were coming out of the church 50 some years ago. The look on their faces was filled with such a mixture of their hopes for the future and an undeniable gleam of "look out world, here we come...". Could they have possibly known at the time that they would take those vows seriously and it would take death to part them? That in itself is an incredible accomplishment and measure of these two incredible people.

Farewell, Dr. B. Thank you for the influence you made in my life as well as setting into motion something that will immortalize your name.....
 
What a wonderful tribute Rich. Hearing how highly you speak of Dr. Bechtel makes me wish I had a chance to meet the man who made this all possible for a lot of us.
 
Rich, thanks for sharing that with us. What better tribute could you ask for than to be remembered by the people that share your passion.
 
A lovely tribute to a great man. Remember, life is short....do what you need to do now...not later!
 
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