Samuel Bechtel

Samuel “Sam” J. Bechtel, 83, formerly of Beaver, passed away on June 29, 2026.

Born on March 24, 1943, in Rochester, he was the son of the late Joseph and Laura Poole Bechtel, and a 1961 graduate of Beaver Area High School. After attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Sam started his career as a Journalist at the Indiana Gazette. In February of 1971, Sam joined the Beaver County Times where he worked for 13 years as both a reporter and the sports department editor. He was the first Beaver County sports reporter to regularly cover the Pittsburgh Steelers. He also covered the Pittsburgh Pirates, the 1971 World Series, Super Bowl IX and Super Bowl X. In 2022, Sam was inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his work at the Times. Sam later worked from 1984 through 1992 at the Pittsburgh Press as deputy sports editor and then returned to the Indiana Gazette until he retired in 2004 ending a 37-year career. He retired to live in Cape Coral, Florida. After spending nearly 10 years in Florida, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to be closer to his daughter and grandson.

Sam will be sadly missed by his daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Brian Kemme, of Blue Ash, Ohio; grandson, Owen Kemme, of Blue Ash, Ohio; former wife, Christine Bechtel of Blue Ash, Ohio; sister, Kathy Noll, of Vanport; brother and sister-in-law, Kurt and Debbie Bechtel, of Maryland; as well as his nieces and nephews.

Memorial Visitation will be held at the Noll Funeral Home Inc.,333 Third Street, Beaver, PA, 15009, on Thursday, July 9, 2026, from 11am until the time of Memorial Service at 1pm.

Inurnment to follow in the Beaver Cemetery.