Obituary for Elizabeth Ann "Beth" Lauchlan (Bechtel)
Elizabeth was born June 6, 1930. She was the second child of three girls born to Carl and Marie Bechtel. She was blessed with Christian parents and accepted Jesus as her personal Savior at an early age. She grew up in Kansas City but her parents had a piece of property where she kept her pony. She loved all animals but, she especially loved horses. She also loved classical music and it was often played in her home but also in the barn so the horses could enjoy it too! She was a great musician herself and played piano, organ, and flute well. She used these abilities in the various churches she attended throughout her lifetime.
Elizabeth or Beth, as she was known to friends and family attended Bob Jones University for a year after graduating from high school. Then she went to Kansas City Junior College for a year. There she met Donna Lauchlan who arranged a blind date with her brother, Bob. That introduction led to the marriage of Bob and Beth on her birthday, June 6, 1951.
The young couple built a house in Overland Park, Kansas on a couple of acres of land and began their family of five children and a menagerie of pets and farm animals. Their children arrived in short order, Laura Ann, Linda Lou, Robert James Junior, Eric William, and Andrew Philip. They also had dogs, cats, ponies, chickens, etc. Bob worked for TWA and Beth concentrated her efforts on her home and family. She was a superb wife and mother. She went to the coat factories in Kansas City and bought leftover wool from the coats. She braided the wool rugs for her home, made the curtains, was a prolific baker and a great cook and did a wonderful job of running a household full of busy children. She had a great sense of humor in the middle of all these activities and a contagious laugh! She loved to have people in her home! She had the gift of hospitality and really enjoyed serving others. Because she was so organized, things were always neat and clean and her servant attitude attracted many visitors.
In 1976, Bob was transferred to New York City. The family had outgrown their little house on Glenwood anyway and there had already been talk of building or buying another house. Though Bob worked in NYC, they all enjoyed 12 years of living in beautiful Wilton, CT. There they also had dogs and chickens and many visitors through the years. Beth would show a personal interest in each one and again used her skills in the kitchen, at the sewing machine, and with her animals to encourage and bless others. Bob and Beth’s two oldest daughters met and married their husbands at Black Rock Congregational Church in Fairfield, CT.
In 1979, Bob was transferred back to Kansas City and in 1980 they built a New England farmhouse which Beth designed on 32 acres they bought in Platte City. There Beth realized her dream of owning her own horses! In 1983, they bought an Arabian mare in foal, Beesha, who became one of her best friends! Shana, Shala, and Sheba were also born on the farm and Beesha and Shana are buried there. Beth loved her horses and would spend hours feeding, training, grooming, and conversing with them and they returned the favor. They would always greet her with sweet nickers and whinnies when she entered the barn. Other animals lived on the farm as well from time to time. There were cows, dogs and cats, chickens, and goats. The grandchildren loved to come to the farm and enjoyed all the animals. Beth spent countless hours teaching them how to ride and groom a horse. She loved sharing her horses with the family and many friends who came on a weekly basis to have Bible studies and ride with her. Beth developed osteoporosis and suffered a few broken bones as a result of all these activities and the horses eventually had to go. She enjoyed the horses for about 25 years and took their care very seriously.
As beautiful as she is, inside and out, Beth knew we are all sinners and need a Savior and she took the opportunity to introduce all her children and many others to Jesus Christ! One of her favorite verses was Proverbs 3:5,6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” He did just that! She is survived by her husband, Bob, and their five children as well as 14 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren.
Her children thank God that she could be taken into the presence of her Savior from her home on the farm that she loved surrounded by her family! Though we miss her, we know we will see her again and are thankful for the years we had with her! She fit the Proverbs 31 model of a worthy woman. “She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: ‘Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.’ Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Beth was a member of Church of the Open Door in Leavenworth, Kansas. She has many good friends there and we are thankful for the love and support they have given to the family at this time. Funeral services will be held at Church of the Open door on Saturday, March 5th at 2:00 P.M. Any charitable donations should be made to Church of the Open Door or Fellowship Bible Church in St. Joe, MO.
Elizabeth or Beth, as she was known to friends and family attended Bob Jones University for a year after graduating from high school. Then she went to Kansas City Junior College for a year. There she met Donna Lauchlan who arranged a blind date with her brother, Bob. That introduction led to the marriage of Bob and Beth on her birthday, June 6, 1951.
The young couple built a house in Overland Park, Kansas on a couple of acres of land and began their family of five children and a menagerie of pets and farm animals. Their children arrived in short order, Laura Ann, Linda Lou, Robert James Junior, Eric William, and Andrew Philip. They also had dogs, cats, ponies, chickens, etc. Bob worked for TWA and Beth concentrated her efforts on her home and family. She was a superb wife and mother. She went to the coat factories in Kansas City and bought leftover wool from the coats. She braided the wool rugs for her home, made the curtains, was a prolific baker and a great cook and did a wonderful job of running a household full of busy children. She had a great sense of humor in the middle of all these activities and a contagious laugh! She loved to have people in her home! She had the gift of hospitality and really enjoyed serving others. Because she was so organized, things were always neat and clean and her servant attitude attracted many visitors.
In 1976, Bob was transferred to New York City. The family had outgrown their little house on Glenwood anyway and there had already been talk of building or buying another house. Though Bob worked in NYC, they all enjoyed 12 years of living in beautiful Wilton, CT. There they also had dogs and chickens and many visitors through the years. Beth would show a personal interest in each one and again used her skills in the kitchen, at the sewing machine, and with her animals to encourage and bless others. Bob and Beth’s two oldest daughters met and married their husbands at Black Rock Congregational Church in Fairfield, CT.
In 1979, Bob was transferred back to Kansas City and in 1980 they built a New England farmhouse which Beth designed on 32 acres they bought in Platte City. There Beth realized her dream of owning her own horses! In 1983, they bought an Arabian mare in foal, Beesha, who became one of her best friends! Shana, Shala, and Sheba were also born on the farm and Beesha and Shana are buried there. Beth loved her horses and would spend hours feeding, training, grooming, and conversing with them and they returned the favor. They would always greet her with sweet nickers and whinnies when she entered the barn. Other animals lived on the farm as well from time to time. There were cows, dogs and cats, chickens, and goats. The grandchildren loved to come to the farm and enjoyed all the animals. Beth spent countless hours teaching them how to ride and groom a horse. She loved sharing her horses with the family and many friends who came on a weekly basis to have Bible studies and ride with her. Beth developed osteoporosis and suffered a few broken bones as a result of all these activities and the horses eventually had to go. She enjoyed the horses for about 25 years and took their care very seriously.
As beautiful as she is, inside and out, Beth knew we are all sinners and need a Savior and she took the opportunity to introduce all her children and many others to Jesus Christ! One of her favorite verses was Proverbs 3:5,6. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” He did just that! She is survived by her husband, Bob, and their five children as well as 14 grandchildren and 29 great grandchildren.
Her children thank God that she could be taken into the presence of her Savior from her home on the farm that she loved surrounded by her family! Though we miss her, we know we will see her again and are thankful for the years we had with her! She fit the Proverbs 31 model of a worthy woman. “She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: ‘Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all.’ Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.”
Beth was a member of Church of the Open Door in Leavenworth, Kansas. She has many good friends there and we are thankful for the love and support they have given to the family at this time. Funeral services will be held at Church of the Open door on Saturday, March 5th at 2:00 P.M. Any charitable donations should be made to Church of the Open Door or Fellowship Bible Church in St. Joe, MO.