63744_Luverne Christian_Becker
SHEFFIELD | Luverne Christian George Becker was born on the Horstman family farm in rural Sheffield, Iowa on Aug. 6, 1925, to Henry and Dina (Horstman) Becker.
He entered into rest on Monday, Jan. 27, 2014, at the North Iowa Hospice House in Mason City, Iowa, at age 88.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 31, 2014, at Zion St. John Lutheran Church, in Sheffield, Iowa with the Rev. G. Kim Wills presiding.
Friends will be received at the church beginning at 9 a.m.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Retz Funeral Home, Sheffield, Iowa.
Luverne was raised and lived on the family farm with his mother, father, brother Raleigh, Grandmother Anna Horstman, and Uncle Chris.
Life on the farm was full of adventure with his brother where they liked to tinker with building and dismantling gadgets.
His grandmother’s German ancestry provided a good influence that he carried throughout his life.
Luverne attended the rural country school until eighth grade when he transferred to Sheffield High School, where he met his future wife, Beatrice Arlene Sims of Sheffield, Iowa.
After a short time in the Navy, Luverne returned to Sheffield to marry the love of his life, Beatrice on June 27, 1948, at the Methodist Church in Sheffield.
They raised four children: Barbara, Katherine, Todd, and Thomas, and have eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Luverne was a member of the St. John’s Lutheran Church in rural Sheffield where he was confirmed.
Later his father, Henry Becker, helped with the construction of what is now the Zion St John Lutheran Church in Sheffield.
Luverne followed in his father’s footsteps and became a skilled construction craftsman. He helped build the educational wing of this church, where he crafted many of the detailed pieces of the wing, making this addition a beautiful spiritual addition.
He also helped construct the Sunshine Apartments in Sheffield, where he was on the board of directors until his death.
His love for woodworking was very evident in the home he built for his family. His attention to detail, not only in the home he built, but also in the furniture he crafted, was impeccable and was admired by all who visited their home.
He practiced his skill even in retirement where he crafted detailed, exquisite clocks. His grandmother clocks were his most cherished.
Luverne learned this craft from his father, and has passed this skill to his sons, Todd and Tom, and even to his grandsons.
Luverne enjoyed traveling with his wife to Hawaii and Florida to visit his daughter Kathy and her family, where he enjoyed the tropical climate and the beautiful beaches.
He ventured into snorkeling, collecting shells, and enjoyed the boating trips.
Luverne is survived by his children, Barbara (Roger) Krull of Eldora, Katherine (Jack) Shea of Ft. Myers, Fla., Todd and Thomas Becker both of Sheffield; grandchildren: Eric, Mike (Dianna), Ryan Krull, Logan and Megan Shea, Kevin (Jill) Becker, Kristle (Jakob) Gayer, and Samantha Becker, and six great- grandchildren; a brother-in-law, Don Sims of Mason City and a niece, Suzanne, of Sheffield.
Luverne is preceded in death by his wife, Beatrice, his parents, Henry and Dina, brother, Raleigh, his grandmother, Anna Horstman, his Uncle Chris Horstman, a daughter-in-law, two sisters-in-law and a brother-in-law.
Retz Funeral Home, Sheffield, IA