Joseph is preceded in death by Teresa A. Peterson, his partner of over 36 years, his father Thomas C. Becker, his mother Lenore E. Becker, his sister Amanda Anne Doyle, and his brother Thomas C. Becker Jr.
Joseph was born in Seattle, Washington on April 26th, 1937. He moved to Santa Cruz, CA with his family at the age of eight. Joseph moved to the Central Valley as a teenager and graduated from San Joaquin Memorial High School in 1955. He earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, California and a master’s degree from California State University of Fresno. Joseph was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1962 and faithfully served as a priest until 1991. From 2000 to 2022, Joseph was a professor at the University of Phoenix in Fresno, CA.
Joseph is survived by his son, Jonathan Peterson, his daughter-in-law Rachel, his granddaughter Charlotte, and his sister Mary L. Becker. He also leaves behind many family members from the Peterson, Doyle, and Becker families, as well as relatives and friends from all over.
A special thanks and acknowledgement to Ashley Mendoza and the entire staff at The Vineyards California Armenian Home Cognitive Care Unit, who went above and beyond to provide the best care possible to Joseph.
A Rosary will be held on Thursday, November 13th, 2025, at 6:00PM at Boice Funeral Home in Clovis, CA. A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, November 14th, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, in Clovis, CA. A graveside ceremony at Clovis Cemetery will be held following the funeral mass.
