In 2019, My father and I moved in together We started a new life as Care Partners and immediately the stakes got higher.
During the pandemic, we jokingly called our antics together “JohnBecker.TV”. We “tuned-in” daily for new episodes managing health, elder finances, setting up a home, balancing motherhood and caregiving, taking an epic cross-country road-trip, and planning for life’s inevitabilities. We tried to make even the difficult stuff lighter with laughter and love, pretending some days we were characters in a zany, and touching father-daughter sitcom.
With the passing of John F. Becker at 101 years old, we want to honor his life. He continued to embrace new kinds of learning and subtle adventures, remaining a devoted father until the end. This journey is also mine as a business leader who transitioned into an interfaith chaplain and family caregiver. Together, through our care partnership, we became unexpected advocates for veterans and their families.
It’s a story of resilience and RE-invention at any age. It’s a love story. It’s Never Too Late!
JohnBecker.TV is a social media experience and also the home of a documentary film: The Dad Project: It's Never Too Late.
John Francis Becker, 101, most recently of Sebastopol and Oakland, CA, was a long-time resident of Berwyn, PA. He entered eternal life on March 2, 2025.
Born on November 10, 1923, to the late Adolph Francis Becker and Rose Mary Meyer Becker, John graduated from the Arnolds Park, IA, high school. In World War II, he served in the Army in the Pacific theater on Leyte, PI, and at the invasion of Okinawa, followed by the early occupation of Japan in 1945. He received numerous honors for his service, including the American Theater Ribbon, the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Medal.
Mr. Becker attended Creighton University and earned a BS Degree from Iowa State University, where he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He was a sales representative for 34 years with American Can Co./Georgia-Pacific Corp, supplying paper and plastic food packaging for the US and European food industry, and was active in various food packaging industry trade organizations and Toastmasters. He was the Head of Lectors at St. Monica Roman Catholic in Berwyn for many years, recruiting, training, and scheduling.
In his early retirement in 1986, he enjoyed playing bridge and golf, traveling, being a docent with Friends of Independence National Park, giving Independence Hall tower tours, and was an active woodworker refinisher and enjoyed maintaining his Berwyn, PA, and NJ Shore homes.
After caring for his wife Mary for most of her 10-year Alzheimer’s journey, John and Elizabeth traveled together in Europe 2015 and 2017 on river cruises and with road trips across Germany, France, and parts of eastern Europe. In 2019, John moved west, and he and Elizabeth began a new chapter in their lives together. During the pandemic, they affectionately dubbed their daily Care Partner antics “JohnBecker.TV,” showcasing their journey of managing and celebrating life with humor and love. Together, they embraced the philosophy that it’s never too late to live a full and meaningful life. John later became a strong advocate for veterans, receiving a VA Challenge Coin at the 2024 San Francisco VA Region Caregiver Recognition Event in 24.
John is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Meyer Becker and her partner Paul D. Cannan; her children Sophie C. Bransfield and Joseph (Patrick) Bransfield IV, and their father Joseph P. (Jay) Bransfield III. He is also survived by his step-daughter Diane DiPaolo Anderson, her daughter and son-in-law Katherine Schug Chansky and Douglas Chansky, and John’s great-grandchildren, Justin Schug and Jordan Chansky, and his extended family of cousins, nieces and nephews, children-of-his-heart and dear friends. He is especially grateful for the support in his later years of his nephew, John W. Halloran, and his wife, Dianne Wright. In addition to his parents, he is predeceased by his first wife, Dorothy Vater DiPaolo, and second wife, Mary McGinty Parkinson, and his sister Elizabeth Becker Halloran.
John lived a life filled with rich experiences, dedicating himself to family, community, and the pursuit of knowledge and new connections. A Circle of Remembrance and Farm Walk is planned for Santa Rosa, CA. Memorial service and funeral mass plans are underway for Piedmont, CA and Berwyn, PA. Interment and military honors will be at St. Francis De Sales Roman Catholic Church, Ossian, IA.
By donating, your gift will provide crucial support and ensure that military and veteran families facing adversity know they are not alone on their journey. Explore options that not only make a big difference but also offer tax savings and other benefits.
Donate via https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/get-involved/donate
Our documentary film is called The Dad Project: It's Never Too Late, and we are producing this as a series as one program on JohnBeckerTV
We invite you to become part of this story - as we want his life and creative legacy to support his values of "No One Ages Alone" and "No Veteran Left Behind"
Donate via https://shorturl.at/Zjc6C
The Foundation is the strong funding partner supporting the vital educational, outreach, and safety program of EAA.
The result is a powerful grassroots movement capable of inspiring future generations, changing opinions, altering regulations, and building "The Spirit of Aviation."
Donate via: https://www.eaa.org/eaa/support-eaa/give
2024
Instead of taking a big trip in 2023, Elizabeth and John put all of our energies into making a big move from Oakland California where we lived in a house with 3 floors and lots of steps, into a short term rental in Sebastopol California, Sonoma County’s Russian River wine country.
Now that we have found out where we want to BE after considering moving out of state, west shore and Nevada sides of Lake Tahoe, other cities in the East Bay like Livermore, we have to find permanent house. With dad's lost of eyesight, he has become less interested in going places and more interested in being with those he loves.
Stay tuned as we turn our attention to finding the perfect home for Dad to BE!
2023
Where Will John Becker Go Next? - Vote for Your Favorite!
New Orleans, Louisiana - World War II Museum
Honolulu, Hawaii - Fort DeRussy - Hale Koa
Cross-Country Road Trip *Redux*
2021
JohnBeckerTV Cross-Country Road Trip
From California to New Jersey and Back
8300 miles!
2019
The Fall. The Recovery. The Move
Dad fell in CA and while not seriously injured, we decided to have him sell his home in PA and move west.
2017
The Danube Cruise
Budapest to Prague, then Road Trip through Germany and France, including Paris!
2015
The Rhine Cruise
Basel to Amsterdam, then Paris!
EDF's mission is to strengthen and empower military and veteran caregivers, their families, and their communities by identifying and addressing their key challenges through innovative, practical, and sustainable solutions while receiving the recognition, support, and respect they deserve.
Learn more at https://www.elizabethdolefoundation.org/
If you’re experiencing caregiver burnout, “microbreak” may sound like a cruel joke, because what you really need is deep, soul-restoring rest. Indeed, microbreaks are intended to prevent burnout. If you’re already there, you may need a harder reset.
Learn more at https://www.psychologytoday.com/
The National WWII Museum tells the story of the American experience in the war that changed the world—why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today—so that all generations will understand the price of freedom and be inspired by what they learn.
Learn more at https://www.nationalww2museum.org/
The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers was established in 1987 by former First Lady Rosalynn Carter to promote the health, strength, and resilience of all caregivers at every stage of their journey.
Learn more at https://rosalynncarter.org/
Redwood Caregiver Resource Center continues to provide services to family caregivers offering support and assistance to caregivers of adults with brain impairments through education, research, services and advocacy. Learn more at http://www.redwoodcrc.org/res.php
FCA provides services to family caregivers of adults with physical and cognitive impairments. Our services include assessment, care planning, direct care skills, wellness programs, respite services, and legal/financial consultation vouchers.
Learn more at https://www.caregiver.org/about-fca/
The Military and Veteran Caregiver Network (MVCN) offers peer-based support and services to connect those providing care to service members and veterans living with wounds, illnesses, injuries and/or aging. Learn more at the Red Cross website
Let us support you as you support your loved one. We can connect you with additional services such as:
Transportation to doctor visits, Family consultations, Information & referrals, Respite care, Simple meal preparation and errands, and much more. Lear more here
The CVSO helps veterans access State and Federal benefits that they and their family are entitled to. The CVSO also provides information and referrals to a wide range of services including housing, employment, and training.
Learn more here
Hearing Health Foundation is the largest nonprofit funder of hearing and balance research based in the United States. For 65 years and counting, HHF has awarded scientific research grants to foster the development of cochlear implant technology, more effective hearing aids and successful ear surgeries. learn more at https://hearinghealthfoundation.org/mission
The National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO) trains and educates County Veterans Service Officers (CVSOs) and veterans' advocates in the preparation, submission, and representation of claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, NACVSO advocates on behalf of veterans and eligible family members to ensure they receive the benefits they have rightfully earned.
Donate via https://shorturl.at/Zjc6C
The Foundation is the strong funding partner supporting the vital educational, outreach, and safety program of EAA.
The result is a powerful grassroots movement capable of inspiring future generations, changing opinions, altering regulations, and building "The Spirit of Aviation."
Donate via: https://www.eaa.org/eaa/support-eaa/give
SFVA Recognition Day: “It’s Never Too Late!”
Regardless of the care need, it takes leadership, know-how, organizational tools, sensitivity, and grace to pull off larger-scale care communities. There is no "one size fits all."
From The Chapalincy Institute (ChI)
In this clip, Elizabeth, John Becker's daughter, shares her personal story of dedication, love, and the challenges she's faced while caring for father. Caregiving is a journey that often goes uncelebrated, yet these caregivers have graciously allowed us a glimpse into their world.
Watch the full video here.
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