Carol M. (Reavell) Bechen, age 57, of Dubuque, passed away at her home after a long 7 ½ year battle with cancer, surrounded by her loving husband and son.  To celebrate Carol’s life, private family services will be held with Rev. Stephen J. Rosonke officiating.  Entombment will be in the mausoleum at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, is in charge of arrangements.

Carol was born on October 3, 1962, in Dubuque, Iowa, daughter of Richard and Evelyn (Ehlers) Reavell.

Carol attended school at St. Anthony’s Grade School and went on to graduate from Dubuque Senior High School, class of 1981.  Carol met Tom Bechen and they moved to Casper, Wyoming, where they had a son, Tom Jr., who was her pride and joy.  She was employed by MT Bell and Lerners clothing stores.  After living in Wyoming for 8 years, they returned to Dubuque and Carol worked in retail and optical.  For the last 20 years she managed the store and was a certified optician for a local optical center.  Customer service and meeting with patients brought her great enjoyment and many of them became her friends.  In her free time, Carol enjoyed spending time with family and friends, shopping, working out and water walking each summer.  She also had a great love of animals, especially dogs, and Dodger was by far her favorite.

Those left to cherish Carol’s memory include

her loving husband,
Tom Bechen Sr., Dubuque, IA;

her son,
Tom (Betsy) Bechen Jr., Janesville, WI;

her grandson and the joy of her life,
Nolan Bechen;

her mother,
Evelyn Reavell, Dubuque, IA;

her sister,
Jean (Duane) Merrit, Dubuque, IA;

her in-laws,
Ray (Shirley) Bechen, Dubuque, IA,
Pam Mays, Casper, WY,
Rae Ann Bechen, Denver, CO
and Karla (Dennis) Leick, Dubuque, IA;

and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and too many friends to mention.

Carol was preceded in death by her father, Richard Reavell; a brother-in-law, Mark Redmond; and a sister-in-law, Laura (Jack) Naderman.

Carol would like to thank Dr. Ann Stroh and the staff of the Hall Perrine Cancer Center in Cedar Rapids for the support and the excellent care that she received, and Hospice of Dubuque for all her wonderful care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will be accepted by the family, and can be mailed to Behr Funeral Home, 1491 Main Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, Attn. Carol Bechen Family, and will be distributed among the Dubuque Humane Society, Hall Perrine Cancer Center and the Ronald McDonald House of Madison.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.behrfuneralhome.com