Joseph Richard Becker

Joseph Richard Becker passed into eternal rest on October 16. He enjoyed a full life for 92 years.
Joe grew up on a farm in McGrath, MN, with his parents and sister, Mary. His grandparents, aunts, uncles, and many cousins lived nearby and were an important part of his life. Joe helped with farm chores and did well in school. He enjoyed time outdoors watching the birds and animals. He appreciated music, playing the piano and singing in the church choir.
Joe graduated from McGrath High School and from The College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, where he majored in business and was in the ROTC program. After college, Joe served in the Air Force as an airplane navigator. Assignments with the Air Force allowed him to see parts of the world; a locale he thought particularly interesting was Greenland, where he helped patrol the Arctic Circle out of the Thule Air Base.
Deciding to join an Air Force friend in business, Joe moved to Washington, D. C. Together they built and managed apartment buildings. Joe applied and was accepted to an internship program with the Defense Department, which led to a position at the Pentagon calculating contracts to make and maintain Air Force equipment. Joe continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve for all of the years he lived in D.C.
Judy caught Joe's eye at a Young Republican meeting. She was stu ng envelopes; Joe went to say hello and got her phone number. They had fun dating, got engaged, and were married on February 13, 1965.
Joe and Judy bought a house in Fairfax, VA. They were blessed with four children. They enjoyed socializing with friends and family. During this time, Joe completed an MBA degree from George Washington University.
In 1972, Joe took a job in St. Paul as a federal consultant for the State of Minnesota. This allowed Joe and Judy to be nearer to Joe's parents; they often spent weekends in McGrath cooking and helping on the farm. When Joe's contract with the State was done in 1974, the family returned to Fairfax, but not for long. Joe was ready for a life change, and Judy agreed it would be best to return to Minnesota.
They bought a farm in Mora, moving there in 1976. This became their forever home. Over the years they remodeled the old farm house. Joe started raising beef cattle but soon switched to a more profitable dairy operation, milking cows and harvesting corn and hay. Joe tended a huge garden, and Judy cooked with its bounty. The sheds housed pigs, geese, tractors, and farm machines. Kids, dogs, and cats ran through the big yard.
Joe and Judy became part of the Mora community and part of St. Mary's parish. They enjoyed spending time with all of the extended family and were grateful for special neighbors and friends.
By the mid-80's, milking cows was no longer profitable, so Joe sold the herd in 1985. The farm was still home, but Joe looked for another business venture. Joe, Judy, Joe's cousin, Jerry, and wife, Colleen, together operated a travel agency in St. Cloud. Joe and Judy moved the agency to Mora in 1991. A perk of the job was the ability to travel at reduced cost, so after the kids left home, Joe and Judy enjoyed some lovely vacations together.
When the travel agency was up and running, Joe decided to supplement income by returning to a job with the federal government. For ten years he drove to the Cities and worked at the Department of Defense Logistics Agency managing defense and NASA contracts in five Midwest states. Then it was time to retire.
After retirement, Joe and Judy spent time keeping up their home, lawn, garden, and fields. They hosted many holidays and family events. They often cared for the grandkids. They took winter getaways each year, using their timeshare to visit various warm destinations. Joe kept up with business and world events by reading the Wall Street Journal, which he did most every day until his passing.
Joe loved his family very much and said that his greatest accomplishment was helping Judy raise four wonderful children. He was excited to watch them achieve their dreams, get married, and have babies. Being with the grandkids always made Joe smile, and he liked to tease them. As the grandchildren grew into adults, Joe was eager to hear about the happenings in their lives. He was truly proud of his children and grandchildren.
Joe is preceded in death by his wife Judy. He is survived by his daughter Terry (Greg), son Andy (Jorge), son Joe (Roxanne), and daughter Meg (David). Joe has 11 grandchildren: Dan (Taylor), Grace (MacLane), Ellen, Caleb (Lindsay), Ryann, Aubrie, Briggs, Katie, Anna, Isabel, and Nick. He has one great granddaughter, Juliet.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 AM on Friday, October 24, 2025 at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 3878 Highland Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN. Visitation 10 – 11AM prior to Mass. Interment Resurrection Cemetery, Mendota Heights, MN.