Thomas G. "Tom" Becker

ANNA —Thomas G. Becker, age 89, of Anna, Ohio, passed away, Wednesday, January 5,2022, at Ohio Living Dorothy Love Retirement Community in Sidney, Ohio.

Tom was born June 5,1932, in Sidney, Ohio, to the late George A. Becker and Luella (Kennedy). On November 17, 1951, he married the Janet M. (Klikovits) Becker and she preceded him in death.

Tom is survived by his seven children, Sonia (Richard "Buck") Buehler, of Anna, Michael Becker, of Jenson Beach, Florida, Rita (Anthony "Tony") Schemmel, of Anna, Raphael (Sue) Becker, of Findlay, Patti (Steven) Warren, of Greenville, Ted (Jana) Becker, of Sidney, and Bonnie (Robert "Bert") Alspaugh, of Anna; 18 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

He is also survived by a Japanese, daughter Yumiko (Kurita) Hayashi and a Dutch, son Joop Wijers; brother David and Bonnie Becker, his sister Susan Clune, his sister-in-law Thelma Becker, brother-in-law Raphael Echemann and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Janet, a daughter, Catherine, his parents, his sister Barbara Echemann, his brother William Becker, brother-in-laws; Robert Clune, Donald Klikovits, and sister-in-laws; Stella Klikovits, Rosalia (Alfred) Schmitmeyer, Susan Becker, and nieces, Carol Becker and Ann Lazlauo.

Tom was born and raised on a farm west of Botkins. He attended Botkins Catholic School and Botkins Public. He traveled to Sidney weekdays to complete his high school education and graduated from Holy Angels. He was very proud to have been one of their star basketball players and voted the most healthy man in the school. Holy Angels is also where he met his sweetheart, Janet Klikovits. The couple married right out of high school. They decided to settle on a farm between Anna and Botkins. There, they raised their 8 wonderful children.

Upon graduation, Tom began his lifelong passion, farming. He actively worked the farms well into his eighties. Besides farming, Tom also excelled in other financial endeavors.

Tom worked for The Martin Steel Corp. and Brown's Welding. For 20 years Tom unloaded boxcars for Lotridge Rubber Company. He was a partner in the Interstate Displays Sign Company which erected billboards along interstates in three states. He was also a part owner of the Botkins Fish Farm.

Although his family, farming and business activities kept him busy, he still had time to participate in various civil organizations. He was very active in organizations, such as: Botkins Town and Country Club, Kiwanis, a lifelong member of the Democratic Party, the Farmers Union and was an advocate in Washington for the Ohio farmers. He was elected to the Ohio Executive board of the Union. Tom was a proud member of the N.F.O. (National Farmers Union). One of his proudest accomplishments was to assist in procuring funds from the government to help erect the Botkins Village Swimming Pool. He was a valued volunteer of the Anna Rescue Squad for many years. Tom and Janet were ambassadors for the Y.F.U. (Youth for Understanding) exchange program and placed many foreign students in homes throughout the area.

While being the ambassador's for Y.F.U. Tom and Janet decided to explore Janet's heritage by traveling to Europe. There they visited past exchange students and discovered Janet's Austrian relatives living in Zagersdorf. They continued to travel to Europe in the following years building lasting relationship with family and friends.

In Tom's free time, his passion was for flying was high on his list. He owned and flew three planes in his lifetime and prided himself on taking every one of his children and grandchildren on joy rides. If not flying, Tom also loved to snowmobile, boating, water and snow skiing. Later in life he became a sky diver and a member of the Jumpers Over Eighty Skydiving Society.

Tom was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend to all that knew him. He was always happy to tell "endless" stories about his and his family's history to all willing to listen.

Our family was truly blessed to have him a part of it.

A private viewing and visitation are planned.

Please send condolences to info@theadamsfuneralhome.com or directly to the surviving family members.

Adams Funeral Home, 1401 Fair Road, Sidney, has been entrusted with all funeral arrangements.

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