Obituary of Gregory Charles Becker

Gregory Charles Becker age 76, born March 27, 1947 (Minneapolis, MN) peacefully passed away Saturday, June 10, 2023, after a valiant battle with prostate cancer for over ten years. He is survived by his devoted wife of 45 years, Tessa, his daughter Bragetta Femal (Marcus), grandsons Felix and Renfro, son Gavin (Erin), grandson Thomas, and granddaughter Clara Therese.

It is hard to find words to describe what a truly loving family man he was—a giving husband, father, grandfather, and best friend. He considered life a journey and was a passionate adventurer always mindful of creating a warm caring home with kindness and support.

Like many from our time, we enjoyed homes in several different regions across the United States. We finally settled back in Minnesota 30 years ago on Lake Minnetonka, investing in a classic 1900 lake cottage where Greg led the completion of countless renovation projects that became a shared family affair. Our lovely home now stands “unique” among the newly built shoreline dwellings.

Greg loved the many Fourth of July celebrations, entertaining family and friends amongst the seasonal changes, the firepit late-night star-studded storytelling, and the joy of his beautiful Chris-Craft Corsair. I can still see him up-lawn, lakeside, in his Adirondack chair, a sunset gaze across the hazel blue waters past Howards Point, Wauwatosa Island to Smithtown Bay, awaiting with binoculars for the Wednesday night sailboat races with a glass of something special from his coveted wine cellar.

He believed the scaffolding of life is the family and taught his children to be independent, resourceful, creative, and respectful of their natural surroundings. He was a storyteller to his children and grandchildren and believed that telling stories keeps life’s memories intact and was known for his ticklish “foot stories."

A successful international businessman, Greg traveled to six continents and over seventy countries, and on many occasions, his family made the incredibly exciting journeys with him. Once our children left for college we delighted in discovery travel as constant companions to the far reaches of the globe, early on enjoying sailing and boating in some of the more exhilarating blue water destinations around the world.

Greg was a mentor to many and had a broad network of colleagues and friends both domestically and internationally in the Testing, Assessments, and Educational services markets serving on several industry boards. He retired in 2018 from private equity-backed PSI Services LLC as their Executive Vice President of Strategy, completing close to a dozen acquisitions in his last three years. He then continued his consulting advisory business part-time.

His undergraduate degree in Advertising /Marketing was from the University of Minnesota. Early in his career, his employers invested in him and he graduated from two advanced management programs, Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, and The University of Dayton.

Life with Greg was a beautiful, loving adventure. He was a romantic with a Renaissance flair and a lifelong learner with youthful curiosity. He was thrilled to have explored the breadth of this blue planet, he believed travel punctuates your personal beliefs and makes you multi-dimensional. Greg often recorded his travels and thoughts in his memoir-“A Mosaic of Memories.” Below is an excerpt from one of his final entries.

“I’m now past the long curve of my journey. One morning you wake up playing sandlot baseball with your buddies, next you’re sailing San Francisco Bay with your mates, falling wonderfully in love and marrying your best friend, sweetheart, and love of your life, excited by the birth of our beautiful babies in Atlanta, later thrilled by our adult children marrying and having children, and the feeling of unconditional love shared with our grandchildren. Revered by touching The Great Pyramids, Ephesus, the Parthenon, Petra, Christ’s Tomb, the Hagia Sophia, and the Taj Mahal, all in appreciation of the many blessings in one’s life.”

He will be missed by many close friends. Greg was preceded in death by his parents C. Thomas and Lois Becker and his brother Marty; he is survived by his sister Sandra and brothers Jeff and Brad.

A memorial celebration will be held on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, with Mass beginning at 1:00 pm at Saint Bartholomew Church in Wayzata. A reception will immediately follow the conclusion of Mass.

Memorials preferred to Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners (IOCP) or the American Cancer Society.