Jacobs Prairie
September 20, 1947 – April 26, 2025
Mass of Christian Burial will be 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Cold Spring for Annella (Nell) Marie Bechtold, age 77, who passed away on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Benedictine Living Community – Cold Spring after a long battle with many health issues. Relatives and friends may call from 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Wenner Funeral Home in Richmond, MN and after 12:30 p.m. on Thursday at the church in Cold Spring.
Nell was born in Collegeville, MN to Andrew Merdan and Frances Reisinger as child number seven of eleven. She graduated from Cathedral High School in 1965. She worked at Fingerhut in St. Cloud, MN until marrying Roger Bechtold on April 11, 1970 in Collegeville, MN at the St. John’s Abbey Assumption Chapel. Together, Roger and Nell became business partners with Roger’s brother and sister-in-law and started Overhead Door Company of St. Cloud from humble roots. Nell then became a devoted mother and homemaker, pouring everything into raising their four children, caring for numerous pets and her extensive gardens, doing arts & crafts, travelling, and practicing her deep Catholic faith.
As a longtime member of the Church of St. James, Nell was involved with many activities including selling carnations on Mother’s Day, starting weekly adoration, serving as a Eucharistic Minister and by teaching youth religious education classes. She was also a member of Mary’s Cenacle and enjoyed taking devotional trips with friends through JeriCo Christian Journeys. She especially loved taking tropical vacations with Roger and embarking on road trips with her family. Her love of travel was further fostered by hosting three foreign exchange students, who she was able to visit in their home countries.
Nell is survived by her husband, Roger; children Gary (Kay) Bechtold, Gina (Mooga) Yoo, Jaclyn Bechtold, and Julie Bechtold; grandchildren, Esme, Auden, and Marin Yoo, Sylvie, Leah, Ellen, and Lucy Bechtold; siblings Charles (Sandy) Merdan, Lillian Edelbrock, Elizabeth Lipinski, Marlene Thielman, Marita (Donald) Schwinghammer and Imelda (Donald) Allen.
She is preceded in death by her parents; siblings Judith Koska, Leonard Merdan, Robert Merdan, and Carol Koltes; in-laws Rev. Frederick Reker, Sr. Martha Bechtold, Donald Prom, Lawrence Bechtold Jr., Benedict Bechtold, Ronald Skudlarek, Robert Edelbrock, George Lipinski Sr., and Loren Thielman.
Memorials are preferred to the ROCORI Area Community Foundation which supports local non-profit organizations.
The family wishes to thank the many healthcare workers over the years for their compassion, guidance and support.
Arrangements are with the Wenner Funeral Home, Cold Spring~Richmond, MN.
