Harry Math Becker, age 91 of Gaylord, Michigan, passed away peacefully on February 26, 2023, with his family at his side.
Harry was a loving and beloved husband, father, and grandfather, who lived a full and adventurous life.
Born April 27, 1931, in Glendive, Montana, to Henry Bernard and Amelia Josephine (Strohmayer) Becker, he spent his early childhood years on their family dairy farm. At age five, his family moved to Whitefish, Montana, where he spent most of his childhood hunting with his favorite uncles, teaching tricks to his horse, and joking and playing tricks on his younger sister, Henrietta.
At 14, Harry worked for his Uncle Roman for two summers as the youngest member of his combining crew harvesting crops from North Dakota to New Mexico. This crew was a 500-person team the US government chose to serve as the Harvest Brigade to provide food for the Allied troops and civilians during WWII. Harry finished his last two years of high school in Glendive, MT, where he found life-long friends. He excelled at playing basketball, track, baseball, and football, and helped Dawson High School win back-to-back state titles in football. He continued playing football at North Dakota State College of Science. In 1991, Harry was inducted into NDSCS's Hall of Fame for his outstanding athletic abilities and achievements during his time playing football for them.
Harry received his associate degree from NDSCS and promptly got a job working for Shell back in his hometown of Glendive. Due to his strong will, perseverance, and the disciplined principle of working hard, Harry quickly rose through the ranks at Shell. In 1962, Harry was reassigned to take over one of the offshore oil rigs off the coast of Santa Barbara, CA, making him the youngest offshore drilling foreman at the time. Harry helped to develop/employ underwater diving and drilling techniques/devices. In 1974 Harry was transferred to Gaylord to supervise Shell’s operations in the growing Niagaran trend. He retired from Shell in 1987, then promptly went to work with Ward Lake Energy to develop the shallow Antrim formation. He has been honored for lifetime achievements in oil and gas through the American Petroleum Institute and the Michigan Desk & Derrick Club.
In 1958, Harry fell in love and married Shirley Jean LaPage, and they have shared the following 64 years together. Throughout life's joys and sorrows, pains and pleasures, they have loved and supported each other, and through their actions have created a beautiful, warm, and tight-knit family.
Harry loved his children and grandchildren and has been there for all their sporting events, joys and heartbreaks, graduations, birthdays, weddings, and other major life events. He's the loudest cheerleader any of his kids or grandkids could ask for, and he loved telling stories of his life and giving memorable life lessons. He was community-minded, participating on many boards.
Harry is survived by his wife, Shirley; two sons, Ronald (Roberta) and David (Joan); five grandchildren, Travis (Alix), Clay (Sheldan), CiCi, Ronni (Tanner), and Rena; one great-grandson, Benji Harry Becker; half-brother, Michael “Mel” Norgaard; and brother-in-law Richard Dietz.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Henrietta Becker Dietz; and his sister-in-law, Maxine Norgaard.
A visitation will be held on Friday, March 3, 2023, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Nelson Funeral Home in Gaylord.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at St. Mary Cathedral in Gaylord starting at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be held prior to Mass at the cathedral beginning at 10:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials donations may be made to either St. Mary Athletic Association at 321 N. Otsego Ave., Gaylord, MI 49735 or Gaylord High Athletic Association at 90 Livingston Blvd., Gaylord, MI 49735-9387
Arrangements were entrusted to Nelson Funeral Home and Cremation Service, P.O. Box 1548, Gaylord, MI 49734.
Posted online on March 01, 2023
Harry was my high school and college boyfriend. We almost married but parted ways and I went to California to teach school and did not see him till the 2000 Dawson County High School Reunion.
See 50th Reunion in Glendive on the right side of my blog for pictures.