Patricia Bechtol

October 3, 1947 - November 16, 2020

Patricia Porter Bechtol, 73, of Cornelius, passed away on Monday, November 16, 2020. She was born on October 3, 1947, in Kingsport, Tennessee to the late Ira and Eulah Faye Porter. She attended Scaritt College in Nashville, TN majoring in Christian Education. After marriage and children, she finally graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Early Childhood Education and taught third grade in Fort Myers, Florida until moving to North Carolina. She most enjoyed teaching kindergarten and first grade, but thought third graders the most challenging. Pat grew up in the First United Methodist Church of Fort Myers, Florida, and continued as an adult to be active in all activities involving the children’s programs. She served as Sunday School Superintendent for several years. After the move to Cornelius she was briefly active with Davidson UMC. She held jobs at Kohls and in a variety of small local banks until retirement. She loved spending time with her family, and was fiercely protective of her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed travel, gardening and working on home improvement projects, as well as watching the wildlife that roamed her backyard. She always had a smile for everyone she encountered. Patricia is survived by her loving husband of almost 50 years, Donald; sons, Christopher (Magan) with grandchildren Grace and Katie of Harrisburg, and Nathaniel (Amy) with grandchildren Will, Anna, and Ben, of Jackson, Tennessee; brother Sam Porter, brother Jim (Joan) Porter, brother in law Dennis (Kathy) Bechtol, sister in law Kay Gulmy all of Fort Myers, Florida, brother in law Davis (Harriet) Bechtol of Summerville, South Carolina, and brother in law Doug Bechtol of Raleigh, North Carolina. There are numerous nieces and nephews. A dual Inurnment service for Patricia and her husband, Donald, who died on August 11, 2021, will be held on Friday, September 24, 9:00 am at Salisbury National Cemetery. The memorial service will be held after the inurnment at James Funeral Home in Huntersville, NC 11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, Memorials can be made to the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, or Habitat for Humanity. Due to the COVID epidemic, a memorial service will be held at a later date. James Funeral Home, of Huntersville, is serving the family.