Funeral: 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fort Worth. Interment: 1 p.m. Monday in Memorial Oaks Cemetery in Houston. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Shannon Rose Hill Funeral Chapel.
Ralph grew up in northern Illinois. He proudly served his country as a navigator in the 8th Air Force, flying 28 missions during World War II. He began his brilliant and distinguished academic career at University of Vermont continuing on to the University of Hampshire where he completed a master's, finishing with a Ph.D. at Florida State University. Professor Becker taught at the University of Houston for 37 years and was the first recipient of the coveted Ester Farfel Award for faculty excellence in 1978. Actively engaged in research, he published books, papers and articles that influenced thinking in photophysics and photochemistry. He actively pursued his passion for research with his colleagues in Europe until 2011.
Ralph was an explorer and lover of life. He touched many people with his wit, intellect and contagious sense of humor. He was generous to a fault both with his time and financial resources. Mr. Becker was part of the greatest generation.
He was preceded in death by his son, Mark Korry Becker.
Survivors: He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Phyllis Becker; daughter, Sherryl Becker; daughter, Janet Becker-Wold and son-in-law, Bob Wold; grandchildren, Madeline Rose and Anna Louse; son, Scott Becker; stepson, Michael Irvin and wife, Lori, and children, Emmy and Quinn.
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