Obituary of Charles Beechan, 77

Charles Richard Beechan, 77, of State College, died Sunday, June 18, 2017, in Maryland.

Born November 8, 1939, in Windber, PA, he was the son of the late Stephen and Catherine Kaniuk Beechan. On November 10, 1962 in Cresson, PA, Charles married Mary Ellen Conway.

Charles is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary Ellen Beechan; three children, Jeffrey Stephen Beechan and wife, Marcelle, of Mason, OH, Jill Beechan Crawford and husband, Dr. Steven Crawford, of Lutherville, MD, and Thomas Conway Beechan and wife, Angela, of Collegeville, PA; ten grandchildren, Tyler, Brooke, and Paige Beechan, Kathleen, Morgan, and Kevin Crawford, and Kayla, Derek, Gianna, and Zoey Beechan; one brother, George Beechan and his wife, Georgette and daughter, Teena Peachey, of State College.

Charles graduated from Shade High School in Cairnbrook in 1957 and received his bachelor's degree from Penn State University in Ceramic Engineering in 1961. He worked as a Supervisor of Refractories Research at Bethlehem Steel Corporation in Bethlehem, PA for nearly Forty years.

He was a member of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, State College where he was past President and Treasurer. Charles was also an active member of the Penn State Alumni Association.

A visitation will be held from 2pm to 4pm and 6pm to 8pm on Thursday, June 22, 2017 at Koch Funeral Home, 2401 S. Atherton St., State College.

The funeral service will be held at 10:00am on Friday, June 23, 2017 at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 119 S. Sparks St, State College, with Father John M. Reeves officiating.

Burial will be in St. Francis Xavier Catholic Cemetery, Cresson, on Friday, June 23, 2017 at 3pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 119 S. Sparks St, State College, PA 16801, in memory of Charles Richard Beechan.

Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com.