John Becker

Fletcher, NC – John Becker, 78, loving husband, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, died Friday, April 14, 2023 at CarePartners Solace Center.

A native of Westchester County, NY, he was a son of the late Gerard and Loretta Mulvihill Becker. John was also preceded in death by his first wife, Georgina Loyola Becker and a brother, Richard Becker.

John Becker was a man admired by all. “Big John ” was the patriarch of his large family where people continuously turned to him as a confidant, and source of wisdom.

Any person loved him from the moment they met him. He was a man that people turned to for advice, support, and help. John could make any woman feel beautiful. Any man that had the pleasure of meeting him was that much wiser for it. John was willing to help anyone and everyone that he could…leaving his impact felt by all. John was the epitome of class, generosity, empathy, and family.

John met his first wife Georgina Loyola when he was a teenager. John crashed her sweet sixteen birthday party and they were inseparable from that point on. John and Georgina were married for 45 years and built a beautiful life together on Long Island. They had two loving daughters, Kathy and Gina Marie.

After mourning the loss of John’s beloved wife Georgina in 2007, he retired and relocated to their dream home in North Carolina. He met his loving and nurturing wife, Susan. After several wonderful years spent together, they married in July 2019. North Carolina was a place where he was able to spend endless amounts of time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren, who brought him an immense amount of joy.

John’s legacy will continue on through future generations and his beloved home Upstate, New York. John and his brothers built a country home in Gloversville, New York. This country home is a lovely sentiment to all of the things John was passionate about: togetherness, tranquility and love. The family will be planting apple trees at John’s home Upstate in his honor. It was John’s wish to see wildlife eating apples on his beautiful property.

Words can not express the loss of such a truly incredible man. He will be loved and missed forever. John’s words to live by… “It is not about the destination, it is about the journey”…. until we meet again “Big John”.

John is survived by his wife, Susan Henley Sojourner; two daughters, Kathleen Becker Siegel and her husband Clayton of Fletcher and Gina Marie Becker Cacoperdo and her husband Christopher of Bay Shore, NY; three sisters, Barbara Becker of Tampa, FL, Frances Becker of Bellport NY and Margaret Suga of Manhasset, NY; five brothers, Gerard Becker of Central Islip, NY, James Becker of Staten Island, NY, Phillip Becker of Ocala, FL, Robert Becker of Spring Hill, FL and Edward Becker of Elmont, NY; seven grandchildren, Michelle, Ashlee, Kimberly, Alyssa, Lexie, Maria and John; six great-grandchildren, Karinda, Kaydence, Lucas, Karrington, Madelyne and Kassandra as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.

A Celebration of John’s Life will be held on Friday, April 21, 2023 from 6:00 PM- 10:00 PM at the American Legion in West Islip, NY.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to one of the following charities that John cared for deeply: St. Judes Children’s Hospital, DAV (www.dav.org) or Islip Breast Cancer Coalition (islipbreastcancer.com).

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian in Arden, NC is assisting the family.