Emily was born in Farrell, Pennsylvania to Clarence and Hilda Knowles on July 12, 1934. She went to school in Sharon, Pennsylvania where she attended nursing school. Emily married the love of her life, the late Donald C. Becker on February 19, 1955 in Sharon, Pennsylvania. She worked multiple jobs during her life including switchboard operator, Admissions Officer at Florida Institute of Technology, Bank Customer Service Representative, and Cast Member at Walt Disney World. However, her main occupation was that of a dedicated and loving homemaker to her beloved husband and five children. As a military wife, she raised her children all over the world including stays in Okinawa, Japan; Heidelberg, Germany; and Frankfurt, Germany. Emily was a lifelong devout Catholic and selflessly volunteered her time and talent over the years as a Eucharistic Minister, Bereavement Committee member, Director of Religious Education, and for the American Red Cross. She was also a girl scout troop leader, boy scout troop leader, baseball mom, basketball mom, and room mother many times over.
Emily is preceded in death by her husband Donald C. Becker and daughter Mary von Bergen.
She is survived by daughter Linda Smith and her husband Bill, daughter Patricia Matthews and her husband Dennis, son Donald Becker, son David Becker and his wife Kim, grandchildren Paul Smith, Brian Smith, Laura Smith, Steven Matthews, David Matthews, Tessie Carroll, Christopher Becker, Caroline Becker, and nine great-Grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 7th at Resurrection Catholic Church in Winter Garden, Florida, 1211 Winter Garden-Vineland Rd, Winter Garden, FL 34787. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery in Gotha, FL. Arrangements are by Woodlawn Memorial Park and Funeral Home in Gotha, FL, where a reception celebrating Emily’s life will be held following the burial.
Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to Cornerstone Hospice and Palliative Care at https://web.cshospice.org/foundation/giving/.
The Smith, Matthews, von Bergen, and both Becker families wish to extend our sincere thanks to Spring Hills of Hunters Creek and Cornerstone Hospice and Palliative Care for their dedicated and loving care of Emily.
