W. Winston Becker

W. Winston Becker, 88, Indianapolis, passed away February 7, 2014. He was born May 9, 1925, in Stevensville, Ontario, Canada, the son of the late Elmer and Inez (Schad) Becker. He married Maxine (Ackerman) Becker on June 18, 1949. She preceded him in passing July 17, 2008. Winston served in the U.S. Army from 1944-1946 during World War II. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Huntington College and a Master of Science degree and Doctor of Education degree from Indiana University. During his career, as an educator, he touched the lives of thousands of students as a teacher of English, speech and mathematics in both Illinois and Indiana, 23 years as an assistant principal and then principal of Morton High School in Hammond, Indiana, and then served as a supervisor of secondary education in Hammond and as a principal in Milford, Indiana, where he retired in 1988. He was active in local, state and national professional education associations and civic organizations such as the Kiwanis Club. He served as an elder and deacon in Presbyterian Churches in both Hammond and Warsaw before coming to Indianapolis, where he was an active member of Northminster Presbyterian Church, again serving as an elder and a deacon. He is survived by his children, Alan (Robin) Becker and Diane (Paul) Bird; grandchildren, Stuart Wirtes, Mitchell Wirtes, Brandon Bird, Sarah, Benjamin, and Jonathan Becker; three sisters, Betty Favorite, Ruth Weber, Carol (Jim) Nolan; and a brother, Rev. E. Carlson (Naomi) Becker. Services will be 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 12, 2014, at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 1660 Kessler Boulevard East Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46220. Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday at Flanner and Buchanan – Broad Ripple, 1305 East Broad Ripple Avenue. Memorial contributions may be directed to Northminster Presbyterian Church or to Huntington University Becker Scholarship Fund, 2303 College Avenue, Huntington, IN 46750.