Oscar BechardOscar BechardOscar “Yank” Bechard, 56, Beardstown, died Sunday, Dec. 22, 1996, at Passavant Area Hospital in Jacksonville.
He was born May 19, 1940, in Chazy, N.Y., a son of Oscar and Rita M. Trudeau Bechard. He married Donna Gouran on Nov. 22, 1986, in Beardstown. She survives.
Also surviving are two sons, Joey of Winder, Ga., and Dean of Hollywood, Fla.; five stepsons, Rich Blumenshine of Loveland, Colo., Jack Smith of Lewistown, Leo Smith of Frederick, and Jerry Smith and David Smith, both of Browning; two daughters, Kara Bechard and Amanda Bechard, both of Beardstown; three stepdaughters, Rae Blumenshine of Beardstown, Nancy McClanahan of Memphis, Tenn., and Rhonda Lynn of Peoria; one brother, Carl of Vestal, N.Y.; one half brother, Billy of Plattsburgh, N.Y.; two sisters, Jeanine Golden of Whippleville, N.Y., and Rosina Bechard of Littleton, N.H.; one grandson; and 10 stepgrandchildren.
One sister preceded him in death.
He was a barge captain/pilot for the American Commercial Barge line for 30 years. He was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Plattsburgh. An Army veteran, he was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge 1007 in Beardstown. He also was a member of Illinois River ABATE.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Sager Funeral Home. Burial was in St. Alexius Catholic Cemetery.
From the Peoria Journal Star.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus