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

He was born in Rochester on March 24th, 1943, the son of the late Joseph and Laura Poole Bechtel. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Jill and Brian Kemme, of Blue Ash, Ohio, his grandson, Owen Kemme, of Blue Ash, Ohio, his former wife, Christine Bechtel of Blue Ash, Ohio, his sister, Kathy Noll, of Vanport, his brother and sister-in-law, Kurt and Debbie Bechtel, of Maryland, as well as his nieces and nephews.

Samuel was a 1961 graduate of Beaver Area High School. After attending Indiana University of Pennsylvania, he started his career as a Journalist at the Indiana Gazette. In February of 1971, he 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, he was inducted into the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his work at the Times. He 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.

A Memorial Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 9th from 11 a.m. until the time of Memorial Service at 1 p.m. at the Noll Funeral Home Inc., 333 Third Street, Beaver, who was in charge of his arrangements.

Inurnment to follow in the Beaver Cemetery, Buffalo Street, Beaver.