Regis Samuel Fechter Jr.
Regis Samuel Fechter Jr., 79, of Slovan, passed away on Friday evening, January 28, 2022 in The Donnell House, Washington.
He was born on Christmas Day, in 1942, the oldest son of Regis S. Fechter Sr. and Dorothy Doran Fechter.
After graduating from the Munhall High School in 1960, he studied music education at Duquesne University, earning his M.Ed. degree in School Counseling.
Mr. Fechter had a fulfilling 42-year career starting in 1964, at the Burgettstown Area School District, where he was the Director of Instrumental Music from 1964-1986, and retired as an Elementary School Counselor in June of 2004.
After retiring from Burgettstown he taught for an additional two years in the South Fayette School District, retiring again in 2006.
He is best known for leading countless students and generations of musicians as director of the Burgettstown Blue Devil Marching Band, as well as teaching private music lessons.
A strong believer in music education he was a member of several state and local music education associations and civic organizations.
“Life without music is no life at all” was his favorite quote. He could play nearly any instrument and played the tenor saxophone for over 20 years at countless venues, parties and weddings with the VanDels.
He was a parishioner of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Burgettstown where he was an active and functional member of the choir and helped with Bingo.
In his free time Regis was an avid reader and enjoyed fishing.
His beloved wife, Sandy Cooper Fechter whom he married on November 24, 1966, survives. Surviving, in addition to his wife, are his two loving daughters, Debbie Greer and husband Matt of Monroe, Ga., and Diane Hockenberry and husband Jeffrey of Burgettstown; his four grandchildren, Zack Greer, Samuel Hockenberry, Owen Hockenberry and Emily Hockenberry; sister-in-law, Kathleen Fechter of Ohio; brother-in-law, Tommy Cooper and wife Adrienne of New York; and nieces and nephews Mackenzie and Adam Cooper and niece and Goddaughter Nikki Fechter.
The last of his immediate family, he is preceded in death in addition to his parents; by his brothers, David, William and James Fechter
Friends will received from 4 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 1, 2022, in the Lee & Martin Funeral Home, 73 Highland Avenue, Burgettstown.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wednesday February 2, 2022, in Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church of St. Isidore the Farmer Parish, 1109 Main Street, Burgettstown, with the Rev. Zachary Galiyas as celebrant. Burial will follow in the Grandview Cemetery, Florence.
Those wishing to remember Mr. Fechter in a special way can make a donation in his memory to the Burgettstown Area Scholorship Foundation.