March 28, 2022 – West Bend, WI – Robert Z. Becker of West Bend died on Friday, March 25, 2022, at the age of 94 years. He was born April 4, 1927, in Milwaukee to the late Frank and Margaret (nee Becker) Ziolkowski.
He attended school in Milwaukee, graduating from the former Lincoln High School. He then entered the United States Army towards the end of World War II, serving in Germany. Following his discharge, he returned to the Milwaukee area.
He attended Marquette University, earning bachelor’s degrees in English and Philosophy. Following his graduation, he moved to West Bend and started working at WBKV radio station.
While he was at WBKV, he wore many different hats. Some of his duties included broadcasting, hosting various shows, was an announcer and did the programming. It was at WBKV that he met his future wife, Anne Kieckhafer.
Bob and Anne were married on June 18 1955 at Holy Angels.
In the 1960s, he started working at the West Bend News as an assistant advertising manager. Upon his retirement from the newspaper, he worked for a brief time in real estate.
In 1986, Bob and Anne moved to Big Cedar Lake, where they made their home for the remainder of their years. He loved fishing and boating on the lake.
Bob was an avid golfer, particularly enjoying the 19th hole. He was a part of a tight-knit group that played many rounds together; they included Art Falk, Derry Wagner, and Fred Yahr.
He was a member of the West Bend Country Club, the West Bend Noon Rotary Club, and was an ambassador with the West Bend Chamber of Commerce.
Survivors include 3 daughters Bonnie “Pepper” (Tom Bottolene) Pepperwolf of Minnetonka, MN, Laura (Tom) Lichtfuss of Oshkosh and Karen Becker of Grafton; 8 grandchildren: Shannon, Emily, Andy, Christine (John), Hannah (Jason), Lindsay (Adam), Laura and Angie; 4 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Allan Kieckhafer; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Anne on March 7, 2013.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, April 1, 2022, at 11 a.m. at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church with entombment following at Washington County Memorial Park. Visitation will be at church on Friday from 10 until 11 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to the West Bend Noon Rotary Foundation.
