Obituary of Alfred Joseph Bechard

ALFRED J. BECHARD, JR. 94 years old, of Atlantic City passed away peacefully in his sleep, at home on Monday. March12, 2024. He was born on January 11,1930 and raised in Lowell,, MA. to his parents Alfred Sr. and Mary (Minnie DuBuque) Bechard. He attended Keith Academy in Lowell before enlisting in the United States Air Force, serving from 1949 to 1953, during the Korean Conflict, after which he was honorably discharged. After his military discharge he attended Music School in Manhattan, while living in Brooklyn with his Aunt and Uncle, Dot and John Casella. His lifelong passion was drums. While walking down Madison Avenue in Manhattan he had a chance encounter with a young woman from Hoboken, NJ. From that moment on- he said that was the woman he would marry. And on June 11, 1955, Rosemary (Sue) Little became his wife. From that blessed union came 4 beautiful children, 2 of whom were born in Jersey City, NJ and the last two in Atlantic City. He and his young family settled down in Atlantic City in 1960, raising their children in the 200 block of North California Avenue. He held a number of jobs to provide for his family starting out as a pressman with the Atlantic City Press for many years and ending in surveillance at Showboat Casino in 2008. He was a member of the Atlantic City Musicians Association Local 661 -708 and played the drums locally in many bands during Atlantic City's heyday before Casinos.(Johnny Austin Orchestra at The Crab Trap in Somers Point for one) Alfred is predeceased by his parents, Alfred and Mary; his wife Rosemary (Sue); youngest son Timothy and niece Denise Pare of Lowell, MA. He is survived by his children; Alfred "Skip" (Delsa), Susan "Susie" (Scott), Kathleen "Katie"; daughter in law Peggy; sister Rita of Lowell, MA. ,niece Diane, nephews Robert and David of Lowell, MA; his Grandchildren Melanie, Mercedes, Andrew, Julian, Sebastian, Alisha, Briana, Angelica and Timi ,Renee and Juana; 6 great-grandchildren; cousins Andre, Conrad, Armand and Paulette DuBuque of Lowell, MA. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated for Alfred J. Bechard, Jr. 11:00an Monday, March 18, 2024 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church 2651 Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic City. Relatives and friends may begin to gather at the church from 10:00am. The Rite of Committal will be offered at Holy Cross Cemetery 5061 Harding Highway (RT. 40) in Mays Landing, NJ. Arrangements by the Gormley Funeral Home LLC/AC (Do not delete this line. It does not print. Text that is to appear on web must be entered after this line)«