With sadness...

 

It is with great sadness that I share with you all that on Wednesday, September 23, my father, Ray Allan Becker, passed away. He had been dealing with the effects of Parkinson's disease my whole adult life, and he spent his final years in a nursing home.

While the past few days have been difficult, they have not been unbearable. I've had my moments, and I'm not sleeping very well, but for the most part, I am doing fine. I strived for the past many years to see my father as his Father saw him, and with the knowledge of spiritual eternity, I feel a great peace.

I'm blessed with a very supportive husband and daughter-in-law. And my grandson has been sure to give me extra hugs and asked to attend the funeral with us.

I've been helping my mother with arrangements, which is a blessing in that it keeps one busy. Things have gone smoothly, and my mother is doing very well. After all the years of caring for my father, then visiting him in the nursing home, I think she feels a measure of relief now.

The visitation and funeral will be held Monday, and I plan to share some favorite memories during the service, if my poise holds out.



About my dad...

Dad grew up on a farm, the youngest of four. After high school, he spent four years in the Navy as a radarman aboard the Destroyer USS Farragut.

 

In 1967, he married my mother, Lois Hoagenson, whom he dated during his service. When my oldest brother, Bradley, was two months old, Dad and Mom took over my grandparents' farm. My brother Reggie and I were born thereafter. Shortly before I turned one, Dad lost his right hand in a farming accident, and during my childhood he wore a prosthetic hook.

Dad always called me Carrie Beth.

My folks sold the farm in the early 1990s and rented the farmhouse for another ten years until they move to a nearby town in 2001.

Dad was a quiet, humble, good man with a wonderful sense of humor. He loved sports, music, and westerns. He chewed Doublemint gum, always order the fish, and loved dessert. He was always active in his church, loved spending time with extended family, and spun a good yarn.

Dad was of the generation of fathers who had a hard time expressing his feelings, but I know he was proud of me and that he loved me without reservation. He is with me every moment of my life, and I'm proud to be his little girl.

Our family's last picture: Bradley, me, Reggie, Mom & Dad. Nov. 2013.