Died March 24, 1951

The Hooper Sentinel

March 29, 1951

Becker Rites Held Wednesday

Funeral services were held at the Elim Lutheran church in Swaburg Wednesday for Mrs. Pearl Johnson Becker, 44, whose death at Bettendorf, Ia, on Saturday came as a shock to her family and friends here.

Mrs. Becker was shot and killed by her husband, Fred Becker, 52, who then killed himself with the gun as a police car hurried to the Becker home. Mrs. Becker had called police for "protection" and a squad car was dispatched. As she left a store, Mr. Becker stepped from behind a parked car and fired the fatal shot.

Mrs. Becker is survived by five children, Mrs. Dan O'Brien of Davenport, Ia.; Beverly and Stanley Wahlstrom of Davenport; Delores Wahlstrom of Denver, Colo. and Donald Wahlstrom of Hooper; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jim Johnson, a brother, Arthur and a sister, Mrs. Ernest Nelsen of Uehling.

Born Oct. 13, 1906 west of Uehling, she was married to Harold Wahlstrom, and later to Fred Becker. She was a member of the Elim Lutheran church. The Becker's operated the Hooper Inn during their residence in Hooper.

Following the services at 1:30 p.m. at the Wollmer & Warne Funeral Chapel, Rev. Drell Bernhardson conducted the services at Elim church. Miss Luella Sampson and Mrs. Bernhardson sang, accompanied by Mrs. Alvis Petersen. Pallbearers were Alvin Johnson, Howard Johnson, Arthur Wahlstrom, Edward Mallette, Wm. Stenvers and Clifford Jorgensen. Interment was in the Admah Cemetery.

~~~ obituary courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska~~~

Note: her tombstone has the surname Wahlstrom, though she was a Becker at the time of her death.

FindaGrave #12257679