Diana Becker

Diana (Dee) Hollway Becker died on June 19th in the comfort of her own home in Baker City at the age of 82 due to complications from lung cancer. A memorial service will be held on July 18th at 11 am at the Haines United Methodist Church. Dee loved the color red  (especially red shoes), so friends and family are encouraged to wear her favorite color.

Dee was born on October 8, 1942 in St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Baker, Oregon to Cecil and Lela Holloway. She attended North Baker Elementary, and had the privilege of having her father as her junior high principal. She loved growing up in Baker and enjoyed her childhood and school days.  One of her best memories was being a majorette in the Baker Elks Drum and Bugle Corps. In 1959 the drum corps traveled to Chicago to partake in the celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s visit to the US. The corps stayed at the same hotel as Queen Elizabeth, played for the Queen, and Dee and fellow majorette, Judy Head, got to sneak a peek at the Queen from the mezzanine floor. It was an adventure she talked about all her life! Dee graduated in 1960 from BHS then attended Eastern Oregon State College where she enjoyed many adventures with her friends.

Dee met and married Larry Becker in 1963. They moved to the Midwest where they lived in Missouri, Nebraska, and Iowa. They had three children Challey, Chad, and Channin. After divorcing, Dee was a hard-working single mother who never missed a sporting event, play, or concert for her kids. She was always so proud of her children.

In 1990 Dee was able to move back to Baker City, the home she always loved and missed. She worked at Step-Forward for 25 years. In her retirement she enjoyed gardening and grew beautiful flowers. As her health began to fail, Dee used social media to keep in touch with her many friends and family. She loved to call and chat with friends, and she was really good at maintaining friendships. She was deeply devoted to her cat, Olga, who was her pride and joy. 

Dee was a beloved mother, sister, auntie, mother-in-law, cousin, and grandma. She is preceded in death by her mother and father, Cecil and Lela Holloway, and sisters Jeanette Jampolsky and Nancy Bowers. She is survived by her children Challey Becker (Troy Chubb), Channin Becker (Jay Billings), and Chad Becker (Dimitra), sister Sammye Linzel (Moe), and brother Curtis Holloway (Gabrielle Starr). She has three beautiful granddaughters-Riley Chubb, Brooke Becker, and Bailey Becker. She was the favorite auntie to Lisa Weichbrodt, Mike Mahoney, David Jampolsky, Pat Mahoney, Chris Mahoney, Joe Mahoney, Maureen Anderso, Daniel Becker, Nathalie Becker, and Karen Green as well as a large extended family of cousins and great nieces and nephews. 

For those who would like to make a memorial donation in honor of Dee the family suggests Heart n' Home Hospice through Tami's Pine Valley Funeral Home and Cremation Services, PO Box 543, Halfway, OR 97834. Online condolences can be shared at www.tamispinevalleyfuneralhome.com