Alexander Becker, Wabasha

Alexander Becker was born Sasha Becker in Smolensk, Russia, on January 1, 1928, to Karl and Marie Becker. When Alex was 10, Karl was sent to a Stalin labor camp where he died. During WW II as a German descendant, Alex moved to Poland when the German Army left Russia. There he studied airplane mechanics. When the school left Poland, he ran away and continued his studies in East Germany nearer his mother and sisters. After the war they moved to a Displaced Persons camp in Bavaria. He worked for the US Army as a mechanic near Staubing.
In 1952, he immigrated to Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He was drafted and served in the US Army where he earned his citizenship. After the army he worked for Wonder Bread as a mechanic. In 1959 he married Nadean Bassuener of Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. They moved to Milwaukee for management training, then moving to Rochester, Minnesota, where he was Department Head of the garage and fleet at Wonder Bread. They moved back to Milwaukee for a few years as Department Head there before moving back to Rochester again as Department Head.
During the Cold War he occasionally worked for the US government using his Russian language training.
He played soccer in both Germany and Wisconsin and was one of the first coaches and referee for the Rochester Youth Soccer. He was a member of American Legion Post 50 of Wabasha. He belonged to Faith Lutheran Church in Wabasha and the non-denominational church in Mazatlan, Mexico, where he lived in the winter.
He enjoyed card playing, camping boating, and world travels.
After retirement he moved to Wabasha. He is survived by his wife, Nadean, daughters Carla Becker of Rochester, Amy (Jake Douglas) Becker of San Diego, California, and son James (Anne Beveridge) of Dresden, Germany and one granddaughter, Frieda Becker of Dresden and step-grandson, Jeremiah Douglas of San Francisco, California, as well as many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and two sisters.
He died suddenly in Mazatlan, Mexico, on March 7, 2015. A Memorial Service will be held at Faith Lutheran Church, Wabasha, on June 27th at 11 a.m. Visitation from 10-11 at the church. Instead of flowers, please make donations to a charity of your choice.