Donald R. Bechtel, 71, of Cherokee passed away Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at Cherokee Regional Medical Center following a lengthy illness.

Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Greenwood Funeral Home in Cherokee. The Rev. Magrey R. deVega will officiate. Burial will be in Oak Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service Saturday at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent at www.greenwoodfuneral.com.

Don was born Oct. 3, 1939, to Earl and Phoebe (Jones) Bechtel, in Cherokee. He graduated from Washington High School in Cherokee in 1958. After graduation from high school, he went to DeVry Technical Institute in Chicago, Ill. Upon graduation from DeVry, he moved to California where he worked for three years before joining the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Korea. He then returned to California, where he resumed his aerospace engineering career. Don retired in 1991. In 2002, he returned to live in Cherokee to be closer to family and friends.

Don was an avid Chicago Cubs fan and enjoyed watching their games. He also liked to golf and enjoyed spending time on his computer. He enjoyed making and fixing things. He was an excellent cook and liked to feed people.

Don is survived by 12 nephews and nieces, Sandra (Ken) Hartkopp, Joanie (Duane) Norem, Kathy (Mike) Anderson, Linda (Denny) Timmins, Diana (Jerry) Thorne, Michael (Joyce) Bechtel, Denise Green, Kristine (Wayne) Meylor, Dan Bechtel, Steven Bechtel, Robert Bechtel, and Lisa (Barry) Carlson; many grandnephews and grandnieces; several great-grandnephews and great-grandnieces; two sisters-in-law, Arlis Bechtel and Marilyn Bechtel; and many very close friends and neighbors.

He was preceded in death by his paternal and maternal grandparents; his parents, Earl and Phoebe Bechtel; his brothers, Dale Bechtel, Gerald Bechtel and Loren Bechtel; a sister-in-law, Betty Bechtel; and a nephew, Gary Bechtel.