William Alexander Becker Obit

WILLIAM ALEXANDER BECKER was born in Hibbing on Aug. 26, 1938.  Bill was the second of four sons born to Lila and Robert S. Becker.  Bill wrestled and played football at Crosby-Ironton High School and graduated in 1956.  Bill married Diane Marie Rude on Oct. 3, 1959, and they welcomed three children, Mark, Michelle and Jeanne, while stationed in Madison, WI, during 1960 through 1963.  Bill loved God, his country and his family.  He was proud of his 20 years of military service, which included serving on the Destroyer U.S.S. New during the Cuban Missile Crisis while in the U.S. Navy and serving in Vietnam while in the U.S. Air Force.  
After retiring from the military in 1976, Bill attended college in Duluth and then, an electrician by trade, he worked at several companies including Flambeau Paper Mill in Park Falls, WI, Eagle Mountain Mine in Eagle Mountain, CA, and Marquip, Inc., in Phillips, WI.  He retired in 1999 after over 15 years at Marquip, Inc.  
Bill and Diane lived in Fifield, WI, for 39 years until 2017 when they moved to Petersburg, AK, to be closer to their daughters and some of their grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  
Bill enjoyed hunting, fishing, canoeing, photography, woodworking, smoking fish and game birds, cooking (BBQ ribs, baked beans, fried rice, shrimp salad, turkey and stuffing were some of his specialties) and, in later years, doing jigsaw puzzles and Sudoku.
He was a lifelong Minnesota Vikings football fan. Bill also loved driving and took Diane and other family members on many road trips. They drove to family get-togethers, naval reunions, you-pick berry farms, the Minneapolis airport, and back and forth between Fifield, WI, and Petersburg, AK, about 20 times before finally moving to Petersburg.  
Bill had a great sense of humor, was a real people person, and liked to help others.  He spent a number of years volunteering at the Food Pantry in Park Falls, WI, and was a board member for several years.  
Bill passed away on Feb. 22, 2020, surrounded by his family.  He will be dearly missed.  
Bill is survived by Diane, his wife of 60 years; son Mark (Tammy) Becker of Phillips, WI; daughters Michelle (James) Brainard of Petersburg, AK, and Jeanne (Kraig) Norheim of Petersburg, AK; grandchildren Melissa (Tony Jones) Becker, Heather (Brandon) Thomas, Allison Canik and Paul Canik; four great-granddaughters; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.  
He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Bob Jr., John and Fred.