Pauline Becker

Pauline Becker, 93, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, January 7, 2014. She was a long-time resident of Oneida Castle, NY and is survived by her son, Blake and his wife, Sophia, of Copake Falls; she also leaves behind four grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, all living within the Hudson Valley. The following remembrance, written by one of her granddaughters, gives just a glimpse of Pauline in the midst of her transition from this life to the next:

When we walked in to visit Gram that last day, her eyes lit up as she asked if I was there to go on the boat trip with her. She pondered aloud whether her eyesight would still be good enough to see out the ship's windows. We giggled together while she talked about the crazy clothes we were wearing and I explained that it was like the Arctic outside. She fixed her eyes on my son's sweatshirt and asked who I had brought with me; "Who is Burton?" I assured her that Burton was the clothing label and that this was, in fact, her grandson Lucas. She laughed and tears rolled from her eyes.

Now some might find Gram's loose grip on reality sad or tragic, but I didn't always see it that way. Gram had a way of mixing memory with whimsy and making it all a bit dreamy. Whatever you call it, I was just thankful. The time that I was blessed with these last few years allowed me to learn a little bit about the mystery that was my father's mother; Pauline Helen (Misiasczek) Becker. I learned that no matter how "full" she was, there was always room for "just a little" something sweet. I learned that she could hear the word "dessert" while in a sound sleep. I learned that she loved a little adventure and that she truly enjoyed a good, stiff drink. I learned that it's never too late to build a relationship with someone. I learned that you're never too old to laugh at yourself or to learn something new.

My grandmother taught me many things just by being near her and I am going to miss her tremendously but I am so thankful to God for the near-century that He let her walk on this earth. I believe that she brought our family even closer together than we were before.

Pauline's ashes will be buried next to her husband, Frederic Blake Becker, in the spring in the Oneida Cemetery.

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