On August 12, 2013, Hechler, at the age of 98, married his long-time companion, Carol Kitzmiller, in Winchester, Virginia. On September 20, 2014, he turned 100. "The secret of longevity is to exercise," Hechler said. "I always exercised on the tennis court until I had to give that up, but I've got a new hip." In July 2016, Hechler was placed into hospice care in Romney, West Virginia after suffering from a recurring lung infection. Hechler died on December 10, 2016 at his home in Romney from a stroke at the age of 102.