Winifred Becker

Winifred “Winnie” Becker , 77, of Fergus Falls died Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011 at the Evansville Care Center in Evansville from complications of pneumonia. Winnie was born in Benson, Minnesota on April 17, 1934 to Frank and Belle (Perrizo) Fiala. She was proud to be raised in her hometown of Clontarf, Minnesota where Saint Malachy’s church, good times with family and friends, school and the Clontarf town baseball team were strong interests. Her father Frank had a massive stroke in the town barber shop when Winnie was 3 years old. Times were tough financially during the depression years and with her mother, Belle, working long hours at the family restaurant in Clontarf, with Winnie and her mother living above the business as was usually the case back then. So at age 9 years old, she moved across the street to live with her dear Aunt and Uncle, Roy and Rose Perrizo, with their 3 boys, Dick, Bert and Bob, as they operated the Clontarf General Store and post office. In those small living quarters grew a very strong bond of blended family. She married Ronald Duane Becker at Saint Malachy’s church in Clontarf on February 5, 1955, and in the ensuing years they moved with their three sons, Mitchell, Douglas, and Mark around central MN in search of a better life and the “American Dream”. From a farm outside Litchfield until 1958, to the Bus Depot Café in Fergus Falls till the early 1960’s, then on to Ron’s work with the National Guard in Paynesville and Saint Cloud. It was back to Fergus Falls in 1971 to operate Becker’s Supper Club (formerly the Ranch House) and then Becker Realty for 17 years until her Ronald’s death in 1994. There was never a dull moment with her dear husband Ronald and said she wouldn’t have traded a moment for anything. In 1948, Winnie graduated from the Clontarf middle school that served up through the 8th grade. In 1950, Winnie was Clontarf’s “Miss Hay Bale” which was quite an honor for any Clontarf girl as the town was known as the “Hay Capital” of the world, with their hay highly sought out as the best for top racing horses and livestock throughout the United States. She graduated from the Benson High School in 1952 and started at the Saint Cloud’s Teacher College several days later – taking up a vocation that her Aunt Rose had worked at for a short time in the 1920’s. She did her student teaching at Holdingford, MN and then worked there for a year, before getting married, and then for three years at several rural country schools around the Litchfield area. After a short break when they moved to Fergus Falls the first time, she continued teaching at Richmond, Rockville and Cold Spring which eventually unified to become the ROCORI school district. After operating Becker’s Supper Club till 1975, she started work at the Fergus Falls State Hospital (later Regional Treatment Center) in the dietary department but worked most of her years in the vocational department as a Special Education Teacher’s Assistant. She retired after 20 years there and always appreciated the great staff and clients that she worked with during that time. Winnie’s interests included Federated Church in Fergus Falls, cooking and entertaining friends and family, walking, and her love of music including playing the “bones” while accompanying Ronald on the guitar or banjo. Her incredible love of baseball started many years ago with the Clontarf town team and ended with her passing on the 20th anniversary of her beloved MN Twins last world championship. Winnie is preceded in death by her parents, mother and father - in – law, husband Ronald and good friend Donna Boll. She is survived by her three sons, Mitch and Sharon (Peterson) Becker of Cambridge, MN. Doug and Barb (Richter) Becker and Mark and Lisa (Holo) Becker, of Fergus Falls, MN. Grandchildren include, Ryan, Alissa, Hannah, Mark, Ronnie and Tessa. Great Grandchild, Maraely. Incredible long - time friends include Mae Reich of Fergus Falls and Diane Rhode – Szarke of Perham. Goodbye to a daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, co-worker, friend, neighbor, who tried every day to do the best she could for those she loved. God Bless You – you will be missed! Visitation: 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home and resumes one hour prior to the service at the church Service: 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 2, 2011, at Federated Church in Fergus Falls Clergy: Reverend Doug Dent Interment: Oak Grove Cemetery in Fergus Falls Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls is in charge of the arrangements.