Al Bechtel was born in Philadelphia on April 24th, 1924. Born to Lillian and Almont Bechtel, Al attended Olney high School in Philadelphia, graduating June of 1942.
Al worked for Sun Oil Company prior to being drafted into the US Army where he spent three months in Camp Lee, Virginia with the 25th Battalion before applying for Officers Candidate School in the Transportation Corp. Upon his graduation from OCS, Al served in the New York and Philadelphia Ports as the Loading Officer before being transferred to the Azores Islands where he served as the First Lieutenant of the Ports of Tericiara and Santa Maria.
Returning to Philadelphia and Sun Oil Company as a mail clerk and then moving to the Traffic Department upon his discharge from the Army, Al entered Temple University at night where he received his degree in Economics and Business. Working his way through the Corporation, Al ended his career as the Executive Vice President of Radnor Corporation, a wholly owned real estate development subsidiary of Sun Oil Company.
Al retired from Sun Oil Company in 1979 and moved with his wife to Palm Beach Gardens Florida where he, upon obtaining his Contractors License, joined the MacArthur Foundation and from there was employed by the National Golf Foundation where he performed feasibility studies on future golf courses. Three years later, Al formed his own corporation Gold Investment Advisors where, for the next 18 years Al and his wife had the pleasure of traveling the world while performing feasibility studies in the USA plus countries including Poland, Belgium, Bulgaria and South Korea.
Al is survived by his loving wife Helen of 60 years Helen, a son Steve, his wife and their three children and three grandchildren and a daughter Janet who, with her husband, have two sons.
Al was called home to be with the Lord on January 13th, 2012.
In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that contributions be made to Youth for Christ, 929 7th AveVero Beach, FL 32960
Arrangements are under the direction of Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory. Online condolences may be sent at www.coxgiffordseawinds.com.