Alan Myles Becker

Alan Myles Becker, 93, died at home in Framingham, Massachusetts on the morning of March 10, 2024. He lived his first 91 years within a twenty-mile radius of Philadelphia. A lifelong fan of his hometown teams, Alan was looking forward to watching the Phillies and the Sixers in their Sunday matchups on the day he died.

The youngest of three, Alan had many fond memories of growing up in the Wynnefield neighborhood of West Philadelphia where he spent time playing “small games,” sports, and nurturing a passion for reading that lasted the rest of his life. The North Philadelphia-based family furniture manufacturing business was another part of the backdrop of his boyhood. The close-knit extended family also vacationed together at the Jersey Shore. Upon graduation from Overbrook High School, Alan went straight to work at D. Becker & Sons. He and his first cousin Steven Becker were partners who ran the business until it closed its doors in 2004, after 110 years in operation. In his retirement, Alan continued to contribute his creative design and networking skills to various interior design projects. He kept up his daily trips to the gym, reading, walks, word games, cooking experiments, eating adventures, and in his 77^th year, Alan became a Big Brother to James Cromarty, then age 7. The two were still joking about their age difference when they were 93 and 23.

Alan met Lois Avery (of Harrisburg), while taking a class at Philadelphia College of Art. They were married in 1951 and raised four children in their thirty-six years of marriage, residing first in Havertown and then, for many years, in Radnor, Pennsylvania. Alan and Linda Mita happily spent the next three decades in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. In the summer of 2021, Alan moved to Massachusetts to be closer to his daughters and their children. He adapted well to New England, but he never transferred his loyalty to his new hometown’s teams. He enjoyed daily in-person visits with family, friends (old and new), and countless phone calls, especially his daily conversations with his junior high school girlfriend, Joan Rosenfeld, of Boca Raton, Florida.

Alan was ever-optimistic, endlessly creative, and possessed an irrepressible love of life. He was always energized by sharing ideas and making new acquaintances. He entertained himself and others with his incredible repertoire of songs and his quick wit.  He was a great storyteller, a good listener, an inveterate letter-writer, and a steward of relationships that spanned many years and miles.

By any measure-- days, friends, books read, Scrabble points amassed, sporting events watched, songs sung, quoits thrown, or free throws landed-- Alan Myles Becker led a long, full life. He was an excessively proud father, Pop Pop, great-grandfather, and Big Brother. He is survived by all four of his children and their spouses (David and Lesly Becker, Robin Becker, Suzy Becker and Lorene Jean, and Meredith Becker and Jonathan Wicks), five grandchildren (Marla Becker, Raquel Becker, Aurora Jean Becker, Henry and Hildegarde Wicks), two great-grandchildren (Geronimo Becker and Stella Gentry), and his “little brother” James Cromarty.  

The family is planning a long weekend at the Jersey Shore in the early fall to remember and celebrate his life. Donations* in Alan’s honor may be made to Big Brother Big Sister, 100 North 20th Street, 5th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19103 (independencebigs.org)