Elnora Louise Bechtol was called to her Heavenly Home with Christ on May 24, 2025, when her spirit left her broken Earthly body at Blanchard Valley Hospital in Findlay, Ohio.
Elnora was the fourth child of the late Donald and Leona Saneholtz, both formerly of rural Liberty Township, Henry County, Ohio. She was born on their homestead, in the historic Henry King Farmhouse on August 31, 1935, where she lived until she married Gary H. Bechtol on April 8, 1967, at her Saneholtz Family’s church, Liberty Chapel E.U.B. Church (now known as Liberty Chapel Global Methodist Church), also in Liberty Township. Gary & Elnora made their home together in the Village of Florida, Ohio where they raised their only son, Timothy Kent Bechtol. They were in the beginning stages of building their dreamhouse together at the edge of the Bechtol Family Farm west of Florida when Gary suffered an untimely early death as a result of a tragic car accident that they were in together on their nineth wedding anniversary in April of 1976. With the unwavering and creative help of her family, Elnora had the house plans converted into a duplex and managed the construction to be completed so that she and Tim could move in by the summer of 1980. She lived in that house for twenty-five years until she moved to Findlay to be closer to Tim’s young family in November 2005. Tim survives and is currently a local architect and a Hancock County Commissioner.
Elnora is also survived by her two adult grandsons, Jordan Gary Bechtol of Dayton, Ohio and Matthew Darvin Bechtol, of Bowling Green, Ohio. She considered being blessed to have been their “Gramma Ellie” as her most rewarding gift in life. She is also survived by one brother, Philip Saneholtz; three sister-n-laws, Linda Saneholtz, Susan Eustace, and Karen Bechtol; one brother-in-law, Lew Bechtol; six nieces; and five nephews. She was preceded in death by her two parents; her only husband, Gary; all three of her older siblings and their respective spouses, Bill & Marzella Saneholtz, Burdette & Eva Saneholtz, and Patsy & Elmer Leatherman; her younger brother, Milton Saneholtz, two nieces Beverly (Tom) Speiser and Peggy Leatherman, and one nephew, Bruce Saneholtz.
Elnora devoted the majority of her working life as a Deputy Clerk of Courts in the Henry County Courthouse, serving under three succeeding Clerks of Court. Prior to that position she worked in the Henry County Welfare Office, Dunbar Automobile dealership, and even at the Napoleon Egg Auction. In retirement she was contracted to conduct personal background checks for credit agencies, served as an assistant librarian at the Florida Library, and served as a poll worker for the Henry County Board of Elections.
Elnora was raised as an active and faithful member of the E.U.B. Church, having been baptized, confirmed, and married in the Liberty Chapel E.U.B. Church. She graduated from Liberty Center High School in 1953. She played trumpet in her high school band as well as the Henry County 4-H & 5-H Bands, where she first met her future husband, Gary in the trumpet section. They enjoyed going out for square dancing and a variety of activities at their eventual family church, the Florida United Methodist Church.
Elnora was an avid gardener having been a member of the Florida Garden Club. She was also active in the Women’s Society at their church. Elnora was a member of the civic sorority Phi Beta Kappa for several years early in her retirement. She was a lifelong Ohio State Buckeye football, basketball, & marching band fan as well as a lover of easy listening music. She was her son’s biggest fan, and she cherished time spent with all of her family above all other pursuits. The most important part of any meal for her was dessert even though she was best known for how well she prepared deviled eggs as her preferred dish to bring to any potluck dinner.
Memorials can be made in her honor to the capital improvement funds of any of these congregations: Liberty Chapel GMC in Liberty Township of Henry County, Florida UMC in Florida, Ohio, or St. Mark’s UMC in Findlay, Ohio.
Visitation with the family will be held for one-hour (10-11 AM) immediately preceding the funeral services at Liberty Chapel Global Methodist Church on Saturday, May 31, 2025. As a symbol of our celebration of her life, friends & family attending this service are asked to wear something blue, her favorite color.
Kind words for the family may be left at www.hannemanfuneralhomes.com.
