November 26, 1939 - April 12, 2023
Mary “Molly” Becker, age 83, of Algona passed away on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, at Good Samaritan Society in Algona. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday, April 20 at the Divine Mercy Catholic Parish – St. Joseph Catholic Church in St. Joe. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 21 at the St. Joseph Catholic Church, in St. Joe. Services have been entrusted to Lentz Funeral Home of Algona.
Mary Lou “Molly” Becker was born Nov. 26, 1939, in Wesley to Leo and Eleanor (Mayer) Hanig. She grew up on a farm south of Wesley. Molly, being a farmer’s daughter, was involved with milking cows, slopping the pigs, cleaning chickens and helping with her mother’s huge garden. Nearly everything was made from scratch including ketchup and mayonnaise along with homemade bread and pies. Mary was a member of the cheerleading squad and softball team while at Wesley High School. Following graduation, she worked for a short time at Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Des Moines.
In 1958, she married Albert Becker at St. Joseph’s Church in Wesley. Following their wedding, she lived in St. Joe for 45 years where the two of them owned and operated Becker Construction Company. Molly and her husband raised four children: Ron, Donna, Rich and Darryl. Molly had 11 grandchildren and 12 great- grandchildren. They retired in 1992 and later moved to Algona in 2003, which allowed them to spend more time with loved ones. Throughout all those years Molly enjoyed crocheting and knitting, gardening and canning, cooking and baking, and especially baking with the grandkids. There were always cookies, bars, rolls, and a special pastry (twist rolls with caramel frosting) at Grandma and Great-Grandma’s home. She enjoyed playing cards and games with friends and family, including the grandchildren. Molly and Al played cribbage daily, tallying and tracking each other’s daily wins and losses throughout each calendar year starting in 1997: she had the highest number of wins each year with the exception of 5 of those years. She was competitive - even with the grandkids - and it was exciting for them when they could beat Grandma. Molly volunteered at the hospital in Algona and also volunteered with in-home hospice. She belonged to various clubs; she could not miss Mahjong and Friday morning coffee with the Wesley ladies each week. Molly enjoyed spending winters in Sun City, Ariz. with her husband.
Left to cherish Molly’s memory are her husband of 64 years, Albert Becker; children Ronald (Rita) Becker of Ankeny, Donna Germuska of Sun City, Ariz., Richard (Mary) Becker of Algona, and Darryl (Jane) Becker of Urbandale; eleven grandchildren and their spouses; 12 great-grandchildren; “adopted sister” sister-in-law Karen Hanig of Wesley, sister-in-law Sandy Becker of Humboldt; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Eleanor Hanig; brothers Clarence, Don, Stan and Bill; brothers and sisters-in-law Anton (Tony), Mathew, Thomas, Lawrence, Fr. Luke, James (Jake), Sr. Clare, Raymond, Fr. Nick, Emma, Rita, Martha, George, Margaret (Peggy), Germaine, Irma, Mary, Edith, Jerome (Jerry) (Jake), Theresa (died at age 7) and Donald.
One of Molly’s favorite charities was the Kossuth County Care Team. All contributions received will be forwarded to the facility on 109 N Lantry St, Algona, 515-395-2273.