Merle Elaine Becker

MERLE ELAINE BECKER Merle Elaine Becker, 98, passed away of natural causes Sunday, February 3, 2013 at her home in Redlands. Elaine was born December 19, 1914 in Ransom, North Dakota, and grew up on the family farm with her parents and three siblings. She attended North Dakota State University in Fargo, where she received her teaching credential and taught in a one-room school house. Art, her college sweetheart, became her husband of 68 years. After their marriage in 1936, they left North Dakota for Southern California. During her early years of marriage, Elaine was a stay at home Mom. She sometimes worked in event catering and department store sales. Together they lived in California, Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida. It was in Northern California where Elaine received her Real Estate License and worked as an Real Estate Agent for several years. After Art retired in 1979, they made Redlands their home, where they later became members of the First Congregational Church. Throughout her life she enjoyed taking care of her family. She had several hobbies which included reading, ceramics and stamp collecting. Survivors include three daughters, Janet B. Owens of San Diego, California, Sharon Shooshan of Las Vegas, Nevada and Darlene Becker of Redlands, California, a son, Ronald A. Becker, and daughter in-law, Doris A. Becker, of Columbia Falls, Montana; 9 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held Thursday, February 7, 2013, from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at Emmerson Bartlett Memorial Chapel, 703 Brookside Ave., Redlands, CA. Services will be held Friday, February 8, 2013, at the First Congregational Church of Redlands, 2 W. Olive Ave., Redlands, CA. Visitation will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by a Service at 10:30 a.m., with a reception in Fellowship Hall. Burial will be at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, CA. Family under the care of Emmerson Bartlett Memorial Chapel, Redlands, CA. You may send your condolences to www.emmersonbartlett.com