William Fred "Bill" Becks

William Fred “Bill” Becks, age 75, of Pickford, Michigan, died on Sunday, September 21, 2014, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. He was born on November 8, 1938 in Newberry, Michigan to William Henry and Loucille Mildred (Haas) Becks. Bill grew up in Newberry, moved to Pickford as a child and graduated from Pickford High School in 1956. He went to college at Michigan Tech in Sault Ste. Marie. Bill worked for the Sault Evening News as a Circulation Manager and went on to work as a Corrections Officer at Kincheloe, Michigan. He married Eileen Portice on June 27, 1981. He retired in 2000. Bill was a member of the Stalwart Presbyterian Church, and Sault and Raber Area Sportsman Clubs. He was also an organizer of the Islands Chapter of Ducks Unlimited. Bill was an avid hunter and fisherman. He enjoyed watching hockey and football. Bill is survived by wife, Eileen (Portice) Becks; daughters, Terri (Randy) Flannigan of Virginia, Minnesota, and Cindy (John) Carlson of Perkins, Michigan; son, William Arthur (Cheryl) Becks of Pickford; step-children, Keith (Gaye) Belonga of Pickford, Ervin (Marcie) Belonga of Pickford, Kathy (Brian) Moss of Hessel, Michigan, and Sandy (Bob) Richardson of Mayville, Michigan; grandchildren, Cristin and Brandon Flannigan, Brooke, Jordan and William Carlson, Cody and Calie Becks, Krissy (Matt) Harman, Mandy Roy, Chelsea (Dave) Kasper, Justin and Stacey Moss, Andrea and Steven Richardson; great grandchildren, Jace, Xavier, Gavin, Kiera, Ian, Tatum, Peyton, Roman; sisters, Peggy (Jim) Hill of Pickford, Kathy (Kenneth) Batho of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Gaye (Keith) Belonga of Pickford; brother-in-law, Malcom Portice of Owosso, Michigan; and sisters-in-law, Hellen (Gordon) Novack of Owosso, Michigan, and Josephine Reed of Bay City, Michigan. Bill is preceded in death by grandson, John Carlson III; brother-in-law, Dick Reed; and his parents. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 26, 2014 from 11:00 A.M. until 1:30 P.M. at R. Galer Funeral Home, 24549 S. M-129 in Pickford, Michigan. Funeral service will be starting at 1:30 P.M. Bob Hunter will be conducting the services. Burial will be at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens. Memorials contributions may be left to Islands Chapter of Ducks Unlimited, P.O. Box 321, Hessel, MI 49745 or Stalwart Presbyterian Church, 8317 E. M-48, Stalwart, MI 49736.

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William Fred "Bill" Becks

November 8, 1938 - September 21, 2014