Nora Brubacher^{[1, 2]}

1920 - 2009  (88 years)

Susan's 7th cousin once removed.

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• Name	Nora Brubacher
  Birth	12 Dec 1920	Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
  Gender	Female
  Religion	Mennonite  [3]
  Residence	19 Apr 2003	New Hamburg, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada   [4]
  Death	25 Feb 2009	New Hamburg, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	BECHTEL, Nora (Brubacher) - Passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at her residence, Nithview Community, New Hamburg. Beloved wife of Leonard Albert Bechtel, with whom she would have celebrated 68 years of marriage on June 21, 2009. Nora was born 88 years ago in Waterloo Township, a daughter of the late Harvey and Edna (Eby) Brubacher. She had resided in New Hamburg and was formerly of Preston. Nora was an active member of Preston Mennonite Church and Nith Valley Mennonite Church. She was an avid quilter and pieced many quilts for family and friends. Nora enjoyed knitting, gardening and keeping up with her family's interests. Loving mother of David and Muriel Bechtel of Kitchener, Martha and John Wood of London, Norma and John Lichti of New Hamburg, Dorothy and Richard MacBride of Waterloo, Shirley and Darcy Snyder of New Hamburg. Lovingly remembered by her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Greg Bechtel, Krista and Dave Alexander (Dylan and Sadie), John Wood (Meg), Lindsay and Brent Nevin (Ty), Chris and Kim Lichti (Abby and Garrett), Sarah Lichti, Jen and Josh Hiuser (Michaela, Kate and Maggie), Alisa and Ben MacBride-Smith, Jess and Neil Thier (Maya), Trevor Snyder and friend Julia Needham. Also remembered by sisters, Verna Staniek and Elaine Snider; and by brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Clinton Bechtel, Eldon and Bertie Bechtel, Lloyd and Beatrice Bechtel, Mary and Ken Willsie, and Avon Brophy. Nora was predeceased by daughter, Esther Bechtel (2006); grandson, Richard Wood; great-grandson, Connor Lichti; Louise (Reier) Brubacher; sisters, Clarabel (in infancy), Ella and Maurice Woolner; brother, Ivan and Marie Brubacher; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Fred Staniek, Clifford Snider, Hilda Bechtel, Ruby Bechtel, Elsie and Edwin Eby, Delford and Pearl Bechtel, and Joe Brophy. Friends and relatives may call at Mark Jutzi Funeral Home , 291 Huron St., New Hamburg, today (Friday) from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Spring Burial to be held at Mannheim Mennonite Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2009 at 2 p.m. at Nith Valley Mennonite Church with Pastors Matthew and Hendrike Isert-Bender officiating. As expressions of sympathy, donations may be made to Nithview Home Mobility Bus Fund or Nith Valley Mennonite Church. Online condolences and donation information are available at www.markjutzifuneralhomes.ca
  Burial	Mannheim, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada   [5]
  	Address: Mannheim Mennonite Cemetery Mannheim, Ontario Canada
  Person ID	I27418	Ancestors of Susan and Barry Reynolds
  Last Modified	14 Jul 2014

  
  

  Father	Harvey Brubacher,   b. 12 Nov 1888, Berlin/Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada d. 2 Sep 1962, Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Age 73 years)
  Mother	Edna Eby,   b. 30 Apr 1895   d. 14 Apr 1929 (Age 33 years)
  Family ID	F10060	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Leonard Albert Bechtel,   b. 19 Aug 1916, Mannheim, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada d. 19 Mar 2009, New Hamburg, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Age 92 years)
  Marriage	21 Jun 1941  [7]
  	Lifetimes :A couple in life and death Nora Bechtel of New Hamburg Born: Dec. 12, 1920 in Waterloo Township Died: Feb. 25, 2009 of age-related illness: Leonard Bechtel of New Hamburg Born:Aug. 19, 1916 in Waterloo Township Died: March 19, 2009 age-related illness April 28, 2009 - Valerie Hill RECORD STAFF Leonard Bechtel spotted the pretty girl in the brown dress at church and was immediately impressed with her sensible demeanour. Nora Brubacher noticed him, too, but life can be funny sometimes. There were two girls in brown dresses that day, so Leonard had a tricky time finding out the name of the right girl. When he called to ask for a date, she thought it was another boy calling, one much too boisterous for her tastes. She said no. Nora eventually learned of her mistake and decided to right the wrong by calling him. That phone call would be the beginning of a union that would last 68 years, produce six children and a lifetime of service to their family and their Mennonite community. The couple, married June 21, 1941, had lost their mothers years earlier, a tragedy which nevertheless provided them with a unique opportunity. Without maternal ties, they enjoyed an unusual level of freedom, which they, in turn, passed on to their children. "She and Dad always felt they were more free to do what they wanted," said daughter Martha Wood. "It was important to let us be free, too." Then she added, "we did abuse it." Despite the sometimes lax rules, there was never any question about Nora's deep love and expectation of hard work and a moral life. Son David Bechtel explained "her life was her family and her home." Early in their marriage, Leonard worked for a Preston construction company, a job interrupted by the Second World War when he was conscripted. As a Mennonite, he would not engage in wartime duties and instead joined the alternative service as a conscientious objector, where his duties would be working in a lumber camp on Vancouver Island. Leonard, ever the mechanical genius, was sent to work with engineers' designing equipment. The experience must have had a lasting effect on the young man, who seemed unwilling to settle into his old life once back in Preston. Leonard soon started L.A. Bechtel Construction and later Preston Building Supply. Over the course of three decades, he would build 700 homes in Cambridge, though money was never a motivating factor. It was always about the people. Early on, Leonard had been approached by the Mennonite bishop who requested he hire returning conscientious objectors, men who were often vilified in the community for refusing to fight. As always, Leonard was eager to help. After 35 years in business, Leonard retired from home building, but he wasn't ready to quit working and instead took a succession of jobs, including farming. He was also a founding member of the Wilmot Seniors Woodworking and Craft Shop in Baden. David said his father was always serving on some volunteer board or other, while Nora was always making quilts, many of which were donated to the Mennonite Relief sale. Though the couple helped their extended family and community, their contributions were never openly discussed. Daughter Norma Lichti explained "they lived their faith." The family described the couple as polar opposites: he was always bubbling over with ideas for new projects while she was the steady, calming influence, more comfortable with the familiar. Leonard loved to move house, Nora preferred to stay put. He was shy, she was outgoing. Their differences and ability to compromise made their marriage strong. And in the end, when it became evident Nora would die first, it was Leonard who held her hand for hours on end in their nursing home room. Their marriage had been strong and enduring and in the end, they died less than three weeks apart. [6]
  Children	+ 1. D.L. Bechtel + 2. M.E. Bechtel + 3. N.L. Bechtel   4. Esther Jean Bechtel,   b. 12 Jan 1948, Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada d. 12 Sep 2006, Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada (Age 58 years) + 5. D.E. Bechtel + 6. S.A. Bechtel
  Family ID	F10050	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	21 Jun 2020

  
  

• Event Map	Load the map	Birth - 12 Dec 1920 - Kitchener, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Residence - 19 Apr 2003 - New Hamburg, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Death - 25 Feb 2009 - New Hamburg, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Burial - Address: Mannheim Mennonite Cemetery Mannheim, Ontario Canada - - Mannheim, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Photos		Bechtel, Leonard Albert (1916 - 2009)
  		Brubacher, Nora (1920 - 2009) Nora (Brubacher) Bechtel

  
  

  Headstones

  Bechtel, Leonard Albert (1916 - 2009) Leonard Albert Bechtel Birth: Aug. 19, 1916, Waterloo County, Ontario, Canada Death: Mar. 19, 2009, New Hamburg, Ontario, Canada Nora Brubacher Birth: Dec. 12, 1920 Death: Feb. 25, 2009 Bechtel, Esther Jean Birth: Jan. 12, 1948 Death: Sep. 12, 2006

  
  

• Sources

  [S1381] Mary Ann Hagen, Web Site - McEllistrum Family,etc, (Family History(Rootsweb, 19 Apr 2007) , http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&db=mam&id=I02538). [S195] Dettweiler, Allan, Web Site - Ezra Eby Revived!, (http://www.ezraeby.com/index.php : 28 July 2008), ). [S646] Peter Knegtel, Book - Descendants of Hans Knechtli, (the Netherlands: Peter Knegtel, June 2013.), 14 Jul 2013. [S224] Obituary, 3 Oct 2009, Bechtel, Delfred Earl (1920 - 2003) Obituary, The Record, Kitchener, Ontario Monday, April 21, 2003. [S196] Scott Buschlen, Web Site - The mam-db, ((Scott Buschlen), http://www.mam-db.com/index.php), 28 Jan 2010. [S145] Find A Grave, (http://www.findagrave.com/), 29 Jan 2010, 29 Jan 2010. [S410] Peter Knegtel, Genealogy Data - Descendants of Elisabeth Bergey Hallman, (Descendants of Elisabeth Bergey Hallman(Peter Knegtel, December 2007) , Genealogy Report), 4 Feb 2008.