Robert (Bob) Charles Becker

Robert (Bob) Charles Becker

Robert (Bob) Charles Becker died Oct. 17. He was 94.

Born Oct.14, 1924 in Oakland, he graduated from Lick Wilmerding High School in San Francisco, attended the University of California at Berkeley and then enlisted in the Navy Air Corps.

He received his wings and was commissioned at Pensacola, Florida. After serving in the Navy for four years during WWII, he returned to UC Berkeley and received his degree in mechanical engineering. He became a special agent for the FBI and was assigned to Washington D.C.; Omaha, Nebraska; Ft. Dodge, Iowa; and Detroit, Michigan, where he was assigned to national security matters.

He then began a 30-year career at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and was the Lab’s first security and safety officer. He later served as assistant to the business manager, deputy department head when the Hazards Control Department was formed and organized and headed the newly formed Materials Management Department. He was the assistant administrative officer in charge of Business Services, Technical Information, Security Materials Management and Patent Engineering. Before retiring he was the assistant plant manager for Plant Engineering and Hazards Control. He retired in 1983.

He married his wife Ginger in 1946 and they had four children. He is survived by his wife and children, Robert Jr., Mary Becker of Lafayette and Carl Becker (Paulo Orfei) of Chicago, daughter-in-law Jennifer Becker of Sebastopol and grandson. Becker and Ginger’s son, Richard, formerly of St. Helena, died in a bicycle accident in August of 2012.

Becker served many civic functions in Livermore including: The Housing Authority, the Livermore High School board of trustees, the Valley Memorial Hospital board of directors and Zone 7 board of directors. He also was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society and for Senior Services. He was on the board of directors for the ombudsman.

Services will be held at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 678 Enos Way, Livermore, at 11 a.m., Dec. 1, followed by a celebration in the parish hall. Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society.