Cecilia Katherine Becker, age 99, of New Prague passed away peacefully as her family prayed the Rosary at her bedside on May 23, 2025.

Cecilia was born on February 26, 1926, to Peter and Mary (Pieper) Stelten in Chanhassen Township. After her dad passed away at a young age, Cecilia, her mom, and her sister, Clara, moved from the family farm to Chaska. She attended and graduated from Guardian Angels Catholic School as valedictorian. Cecilia spent the next ten years working. She lived at the Catholic Women's Guild home near the Cathedral of St. Paul. Employed as a typist for the Minnesota State Department of Taxation, she worked her way up to a supervisory role, overseeing 20 typists. When her mom got ill and passed away, Cecilia, then 23, moved back to Chaska to be with her sister and was offered a job at the Carver County Courthouse.

While attending a dance with friends at the Park Ballroom in New Prague, Cecilia was introduced to Silverius Becker. The two married on June 19, 1954. Cecilia and Silverius made their home on a dairy farm near Cedar Lake. Classic to the women of her era, she spent her days cooking, baking, gardening, sewing, volunteering, and best of all, raising her five children.

Silverius and Cecilia's youngest daughter, Susie, was born with special needs. This led Cecilia to become an active member in an association for children with disabilities. Cecilia was always there for Susie throughout her 29 years of life and continued to hold her close in her heart after her passing.

Cecilia was also very involved as a parent leader with the Helena Helpers 4-H club, an organization that played a prominent role in the family. She and Silverius helped each of their children develop their unique interests through their many projects, with the county fair being an annual highlight.

Beyond her dedication to her family, friends and relatives were also important to Cecilia. She especially enjoyed meeting for monthly lessons with her neighborhood friends in the Helena Honeybees Homemakers Club as they strove to better serve their families. With this love for learning, she once took a class on how to make quilted potholders. That became her favorite hobby later in life and connected her with many people as she gifted them to others.

Cecilia's faith in God was deeply stitched into the fabric of her entire life. Her 59-year marriage with her husband was built around their shared Catholic faith. For decades, Cecilia was a committed member of the St. Patrick Catholic Church community serving in a wide variety of volunteer roles. She especially enjoyed teaching second graders as they prepared for their First Communion and making quilts for the missions. In recent years, as Cecilia's physical strength diminished, she increasingly spent more time in prayer. She had particular devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Therese of the Little Flower. Roses from St. Therese never ceased to show up in response to Cecilia's prayers.

Cecilia's family feel very blessed to have had her as their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. They are grateful for the active interest she took in their lives through her final day. Her love, the values she instilled in them and her unwavering faith in God will live on through her family as she continues to inspire them from heaven.

She is survived by her children Mary (Tom Rice) Becker of Jordan, Jim (Jean) Becker of New Prague, Kathy (Curt) Mages of Hastings, and David (Peggy) Becker of Osseo, WI, 16 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and sister-in-law Jeanette Becker of New Prague. She was preceded in death by her husband Silverius, daughter Susan, sister Clara Stelten, sisters-in-law Sister Jean Becker and Sister Eunice Becker and brother-in-law Ambrose Becker.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, May 31st at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Cedar Lake Township at 11:00am with Father Michael Miller officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 9:00-11:00am. Burial will take place at the St. Patrick Cemetery immediately after Mass followed by a luncheon in the parish social hall.