Fred & Helen Becker

Fred and Helen are natives of Pennsylvania where they both graduated from Arnold High School, north of Pittsburgh. In 1950, after graduation, Helen went on to Indiana University of Pennsylvania while Fred attended The Pennsylvania State University. 

Graduating in 1954 Helen taught Home Economics while Fred went to work for Gulf Research & Development Company. Fred took a career time out to serve two years with Uncle Sam and was stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They were married in 1956 and Helen joined Fred in Albuquerque where she taught Navajo briefly in an Indian School and where their first child was born. Returning from the service Fred continued his education at the University of Pittsburgh where he received his MS degree. He joined IBM in 1961 and over a 27 year career held a number of different positions and they lived in a number of different locations including a job assignment in Germany. He retired from IBM in 1988 and they moved to Smith Mountain Lake where Fred spent several years working part time for Patrick Henry Community College as their Business and Industry Liaison. Both were involved with many scouting and other volunteer and various church responsibilities as their 4 children, 3 daughters and a son, were growing up