Obituary for Douglas Reed "Doug" Becker
Douglas Reed Becker of Wells, Maine passed away on March 4, 2021 at Northeast Rehabilitation Hospital in Portsmouth, NH. He succumbed to injuries suffered in a tragic automobile accident on Feb 23rd.
Doug was born on January 10, 1943 in Salem, Massachusetts to the late Lieutenant Commander Clarence William Becker, USN and Elizabeth (Carlin) Becker. He attended the Tilton School and the University of New Hampshire where he played football. He also served in the US Marine Corp of Reserves.
Doug was a devoted husband and father to his late wife, Holly (Perkins), and sons Jonathan Reed, Jason Scott, and daughter Gretchen. He had a long and successful career working as an executive in the insurance industry. As his career advanced, the family moved from Massachusetts, to California and Connecticut. He was active in the community participating in church programs, Boy Scouts, and coaching various sports teams. He enjoyed taking the family on camping trips to Yosemite and the Pacific Northwest and introducing San Francisco to his kids. He stayed by Holly’s side to the end, throughout her courageous battle with cancer, and always thought of others’ needs above his own.
Doug eventually reconnected with his hometown friend Anne Brodhead Parry. They found comfort in their shared history, and love and respect for one another, and were married in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1999. They enjoyed a long and loving marriage, filled with many rounds of golf, yearly fishing adventures, exploration of the glorious state of Maine, and wonderful international, and US, travel adventures with family and friends. Their recent move back to their 'hometown roots', has brought them a great feeling of community living at Riverbend Woods, and becoming involved with St. David's Episcopal Church. But most of all they loved spending time with their five children and thirteen grandchildren.
Doug was a caring and compassionate son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather. He enjoyed the outdoors, reading, crosswords, folk music, and most of all, the company of his family. Doug had a unique gift for telling stories; and growing up in Rye, NH provided for plenty of material. He was an avid fly fisherman, and loved taking his bi-annual pilgrimages up to Brookton, Maine with his sons, nephew, and brother-in-law, Scott, to help hone his craft in search of the Big One, and to share some tall-tales.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Becker and his children, Jonathan Becker (Johanna), Jason Becker (Audrey), Gretchen Keay (Christopher) and stepdaughters, Alyson Drew (Parker) and Jennifer McCarthy (Kevin). His siblings Rick Becker (Linda), Sara Shirley (James), Jonathan Ross Colbert (Amy) and Amy Hourihan (Seamus). He will be forever missed by his combined grandchildren, Caitlyn, Colby, Hadley, Finlay, Emma, Timothy, Margaret, Elizabeth, Harper, Samantha, Keegan, Owen and Lucas.
A celebration of Doug's life with family and friends will be held at a later date.
If desired, donations may be made in Doug's memory to: St David's Episcopal Church, 138 York Street Kennebunk, ME 04043 or York Hospital, Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine, 112 Sanford Road, Wells, ME 04090.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Doug’s Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com.
Doug was born on January 10, 1943 in Salem, Massachusetts to the late Lieutenant Commander Clarence William Becker, USN and Elizabeth (Carlin) Becker. He attended the Tilton School and the University of New Hampshire where he played football. He also served in the US Marine Corp of Reserves.
Doug was a devoted husband and father to his late wife, Holly (Perkins), and sons Jonathan Reed, Jason Scott, and daughter Gretchen. He had a long and successful career working as an executive in the insurance industry. As his career advanced, the family moved from Massachusetts, to California and Connecticut. He was active in the community participating in church programs, Boy Scouts, and coaching various sports teams. He enjoyed taking the family on camping trips to Yosemite and the Pacific Northwest and introducing San Francisco to his kids. He stayed by Holly’s side to the end, throughout her courageous battle with cancer, and always thought of others’ needs above his own.
Doug eventually reconnected with his hometown friend Anne Brodhead Parry. They found comfort in their shared history, and love and respect for one another, and were married in Bristol, Rhode Island in 1999. They enjoyed a long and loving marriage, filled with many rounds of golf, yearly fishing adventures, exploration of the glorious state of Maine, and wonderful international, and US, travel adventures with family and friends. Their recent move back to their 'hometown roots', has brought them a great feeling of community living at Riverbend Woods, and becoming involved with St. David's Episcopal Church. But most of all they loved spending time with their five children and thirteen grandchildren.
Doug was a caring and compassionate son, brother, husband, father, and grandfather. He enjoyed the outdoors, reading, crosswords, folk music, and most of all, the company of his family. Doug had a unique gift for telling stories; and growing up in Rye, NH provided for plenty of material. He was an avid fly fisherman, and loved taking his bi-annual pilgrimages up to Brookton, Maine with his sons, nephew, and brother-in-law, Scott, to help hone his craft in search of the Big One, and to share some tall-tales.
He is survived by his wife, Anne Becker and his children, Jonathan Becker (Johanna), Jason Becker (Audrey), Gretchen Keay (Christopher) and stepdaughters, Alyson Drew (Parker) and Jennifer McCarthy (Kevin). His siblings Rick Becker (Linda), Sara Shirley (James), Jonathan Ross Colbert (Amy) and Amy Hourihan (Seamus). He will be forever missed by his combined grandchildren, Caitlyn, Colby, Hadley, Finlay, Emma, Timothy, Margaret, Elizabeth, Harper, Samantha, Keegan, Owen and Lucas.
A celebration of Doug's life with family and friends will be held at a later date.
If desired, donations may be made in Doug's memory to: St David's Episcopal Church, 138 York Street Kennebunk, ME 04043 or York Hospital, Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine, 112 Sanford Road, Wells, ME 04090.
To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, please visit Doug’s Book of Memories Page at www.bibberfuneral.com.