William D. Becher, 94, of Chelsea, Michigan died peacefully Sunday, April 7, 2024, in Chelsea with his family by his side. Born November 26, 1929, in Bolivar, Ohio, he was the son of the late William and Eva (Richardson) Becher and was preceded in death by an infant sister, Mary Jane Becher. He is survived by his wife, Helen N. (Hager) Becher who he married in 1950 and loved dearly and by his daughter Patricia L. Barrett (Robert) of Grosse Pointe Park, MI, his son Eric A. Becher of Jacksonville, FL, three grandchildren Robert A. Barrett III, Kylie E. Barrett, and William C. Barrett, two great grandchildren Brody A. Barrett, Natalie M. Barrett, and numerous in-laws, nieces, and nephews.
After earning a Radio Engineering BS degree from Tri-State University, he was employed as an electrical engineer in several industrial organizations while simultaneously earning MSE and PhD degrees in Electrical Engineering from The University of Michigan after which he became a research engineer and professor. His research career included positions as electrical engineer, laboratory head, and associate division director at the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, specializing in digital design, microprocessor, network circuit theory, SAR radar and machine vision. In academe, he served as professor and chair at University of Michigan-Dearborn, dean of engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology, chair at California State University at Fresno, and adjunct professor at The University of Michigan.
He served in the Indiana National Guard while in undergraduate school and later in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
He has authored and contributed many technical documents including several textbooks, many research and conference papers, and chaired numerous meetings. He has several patents to his credit and was a member of many professional and honorary societies. All his life he had an avid interest in amateur radio. His last call sign was AA8RW. In retirement he enjoyed writing poetry and authored An Ocean Between, a historical novel based on British children evacuees who were brought to the North Canton, Ohio area during WWII. At the time of his death, he was working on a second novel based on the soldiers at Fort Laurens, the residents of Schoenbrunn Village, and the Indians of in the Tuscarawas County. Throughout his life he continually stuffed his head with facts and figures and with each came the greater realization of how little he had learned. He died wishing he had stuffed even harder.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, April 10 from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the Lebold-Smith Funeral Home in Bolivar, Ohio with a service at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow the service at the Ft. Laurens Cemetery in Bolivar. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions in William’s memory to the Friends of Fort Laurens Foundation, P.O. Box 272, Bolivar, OH 44612.
Lebold-Smith
330-874-3113
www.smithfuneral.com
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