John Becker

John Norman Becker, 78 of Madison, SD, died suddenly on 12 June 2021 at Avera Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. A memorial visitation will be 1-3 PM, Friday, June 25, 2021, at the Ellsworth Funeral Home in Madison. Inurnment will follow at the St. Andreas Cemetery in Kingsbury County.

John was born in 1942 in Owatonna, MN to Fred Becker and Elizabeth (Reiter) Becker. He graduated from Owatonna High School in 1961, and, before enlisting in the Air Force in 1963, John worked on the crew building I-35 from Owatonna to Minneapolis.

After being discharged from the Air Force in 1966, John went to work for Control Data Corporation (CDC) in 1967, and married Grace Keske of Dodge Center, MN in 1968.

John worked servicing CDC’s computers in: Niskayuna, NY at Knolls Atomic Power Lab until 1973; in Geneva, Switzerland at the European Nuclear Research Center from 1973 to 1976; and in Warminster, PA at the Naval Air Development Center from 1976 until his retirement in 1995.

After retiring, John moved to Madison, SD where he pursued numerous post-retirement jobs and gardens, remaining at work until six days before his death.

John is survived by: his sons, Justin (Darlyn Balo) Becker of Madison SD, and Jordan (Kaysee Nesmoe) Becker of Harrisburg SD; his sisters, Barb Becker of Owatonna MN, and Cheryl (Jim Bredesen) Becker of Madison, WI; his brother, Jim (Beth) Becker of Ypsilanti, MI; one granddaughter; and his countless friends.

Memorial donations may be made to the estate so that his sons may determine a recipient at a time when his passing is not so near.