Mildred Marie Becker, 97, passed away in Stillwater, MN, on April 29, 2011, surrounded by family.

Mildred was born January 10, 1914, in Bemidji, MN, to Loren and Lena Coyle. In 1919, the Coyle family moved to Mahnomen, MN, where the family set up farming in Pembina Township. The Coyle children were Clayton, Clyde, Ethel, Marvin, Mildred, Kathryn, Richard and Levina, who all attended school in the area.

Mildred married Merlin William Becker, son of William and Ella Becker, of Mahnomen on June 28, 1936, in Bethlehem Lutheran Church. They resided in Mahnomen, where they operated a plumbing and heating business. They raised four children: Jewel, Joanne, Joyce and Mark, who also were members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Mildred was active in the Ladies Aid group, in choir and taught Sunday school. Her mother, Lena Coyle, lived with the family beginning in 1947.

After Merlin's death in 1964, Mildred and Lena moved to Crystal, MN, where Mildred built a new home for them. Beginning in 1965, Mildred worked at various jobs in the Robbinsdale and Crystal area until she was 86 years old and then moved to the east metro area. Her last place of residence was at the Good Samaritan Home in Stillwater.

During her many years, Mildred was known for taking care of her mother, her excellent seamstress abilities, the many trips she made to visit family around the U.S., and the numerous quilts she made for family, friends and the Linus Society. In her later years, Mildred loved to keep up with her family and friends via the internet and phone calls.

Mildred is survived by her children: Joanne (Richard) Gahler, Oakdale, MN and Phoenix, AZ; Joyce (Marloe) Lundquist, Phoenix, AZ; Mark (Connie) Becker, Denver, CO and Phoenix, AZ; Duane Seeger, son-in-law, Wahpeton, ND; 17 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and six great-great-grandchildren. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents, Loren and Lena Coyle; her husband, Merlin; three sisters: Ethel, Katherine, and Levina; four brothers: Clayton, Clyde, Marvin, and Richard; four children: Jewel, Wallace, Loren, and William; two grandchildren, Anita Marie and Kevin Joel; a grandson-in-law, Eugene Evans, and by her very dear friend, Conrad Bjornrud.


Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 2 pm at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mahnomen. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the funeral on Tuesday.

A visitation will also be held on Sunday, May 1, 2011 from 3-5 pm at the Sandberg Funeral Home in North St. Paul, MN.

Burial will be in the Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery, Mahnomen.