Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Saturday, September 06, 2008

Longtime Habitat volunteer dies in fall at Seymour

MENASHA, Wis. (AP) — A construction company owner has died after being injured in a fall while working as a volunteer at a Habitat for Humanity project.

Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity announced Friday that longtime volunteer Mel Hechel of Appleton died at a hospital Thursday, two days after he fell one story at a building site in Seymour. The group said the 64-year-old Hechel fell from the main level of the house onto the concrete basement floor.

He had used his professional building expertise at Habitat sites throughout the country and also at Jimmy Carter Habitat projects in Korea, Hungary, South Africa and the Philippines.

John Weyenberg, executive director of the local Habitat group, said a memorial to honor Hechel is being planned.

All stories copyright 2000 - 2006 La Crosse Tribune and other attributed sources.