Barbara Ann Becker

On May 11, 2023, Barbara Ann Bronston Becker passed away peacefully in her home; she was 83. She will be remembered for her generous spirit, loyalty, and kindness to her friends and family, stinging sense of humor, and no-nonsense approach to life. She enjoyed traveling and gathering with friends and was an avid sports fan.

Barbara was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and spent most of her youth in Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia as her father, Jake Bronston, was a manager for Greyhound Bus Lines, and they moved often. In her youth, she was an excellent athlete, a cheerleader, and quite popular, according to her siblings, Charlie and Jennie.

She graduated from high school in Charleston, West Virginia, and, following her father's footsteps, attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington. She was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and met her husband, David Becker at UK. They married in 1959 and moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Shortly thereafter, they lived in Stamford, Connecticut, with three children, Stephanie, Amy, and Kevin. They moved to Belleair, Florida in 1966 where their fourth child, Geoffrey, was born. Barbara was a devoted wife and mother supporting her children as she drove to school and sports carpools all across the State of Florida. In addition, she was an active philanthropist helping to raise money for St. Paul's School and Morton Plant Hospital. Barbara also served as a board member of the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, FL. Barbara enjoyed an extremely active life that included casual and competitive tennis in the Tampa Bay area. She inspired her family and friends with how well she played and served as a fitness role model for her children, who followed in her footsteps by participating in competitive sports such as tennis, golf, swimming, cycling, and running.

Having left college to start her family, Barbara returned to school and earned her Bachelor's of Arts, with high honors, in English from the University of Tampa in 1985. After her children graduated from college, she began working in the insurance industry, helping friends, neighbors, and small businesses navigate the challenges of protecting their livelihoods.

In 1995, Barbara moved to Wesley Chapel where she spent the rest of her days in a beautiful two-story log cabin. During this time, she met the late Strattan White and they created a friendship that lasted until his passing in 2018. Both she and Strattan hosted many family and friend get-togethers, including their annual Christmas Party that included hundreds of their friends and is remembered as a joyous event. Barbara often supported the efforts of many students from St. Leo University, where Strattan was a boxing instructor. She loved to provide life and career advice to many young people on the back porch of her cabin while also hosting meals for friends.

Barbara was devoted to her parents. After losing her mother, Mildred, in 1986, she remained close to her father, Jake. They traveled all over the world, including Australia, Africa, Alaska, and Canada. Barbara built a home next to hers so she could care for him for the rest of his life. Additionally, she enjoyed the company of rescued animals and cared for several including Gracie, Jill, and Jake (not to mention all the animals when her children were young). With nearly two acres of land, she gave her dogs the perfect life of almost endless space and bountiful squirrels to chase (but never quite get).

Barbara is survived by her sister, Jennie Lynn Dunn, brother, Charles Jacob Bronston, and sister-in-law, Marty Bronston; her four children Stephanie, Amy (John), Kevin (Nui), and Geoffrey along with her five grandchildren: Lee Adair, Mason and Anna Becker, Anton and Lily Becker-Stumpf. The family will hold a Celebration of Life gathering on July 1, 2023.