FREDERICK BECKER

BECKER--Frederick John, 74, of Kensington, Brooklyn, passed away on June 28 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in Manhattan, an institution that put his leukemia successfully in remission for 22 years until it resurfaced in 2021. Born on June 22, 1949, Fred was the eldest of five children in a family with centuries-old roots in Brooklyn and Long Island. He had an abiding reverence for creativity and art. A longtime photographer, his work was featured in many group shows throughout New York City. One source of continuing inspiration was Dead Horse Bay in Brooklyn where the found objects that washed up on the shores of the Rockaway Inlet became a mainstay subject of his work. A New York Mets fan from the get-go, he became a Yankees devotee later on following in the footsteps of his sons. Perhaps as important to Fred as art and baseball was food, a single malt Scotch and a stiff Margarita. He loved nothing better than sitting around the table, breaking bread with family and friends. And the bread had to be good. Quality was critical for Fred. He was known to carry his own jar of Hellman's Mayonnaise in case the deli serving up his sandwich used what he deemed an inferior product, while not missing the opportunity to lecture the deli owner for the mayo misstep. Fred is survived by his sons, John and Matthew, both of Brooklyn; his former wife, Carol (nee Hull); sisters Diane Becker of Manhattan and Pamela Becker of Brattleboro, VT; brothers Brian (Petra) and Michael Becker of Rockaway, Queens, as well as nieces and nephews. He was the son of the late Maureen (nee Markey) and Frederick Becker Senior. Memorial donations in his name can be made to The NYC Public Art Fund https://www.nyc-arts.org/organizations/public-art-fund/