Marilyn Becker
Marilyn Dorothy (Janke) Becker, known to her beloved grandchildren as 'Grannie,' passed away peacefully on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at the age of 84 and a half. She died from heart failure in the Palliative Unit of Aspirus-Wausau in Wausau (Town of Stettin).
Marilyn was born on April 14,1941, in Athens, to the late Mary Rose (Gresl) and Herbert Ferdinand Janke. She was one of seven children and attended St. Anthony’s Catholic School and Athens High School.
A Life of Art, Adventure and Warmth: Marilyn was a vibrant spirit whose passions radiated through every part of her life. She was a prolific and celebrated artist, immersing herself in all forms of creation, including oil painting, charcoal, pen and ink, and stained glass. She was especially devoted to the fiber arts, excelling at crocheting, knitting, sewing, quilting and rug hooking, creating many cherished friendships along the way. She earned local accolades and recently achieved national recognition for her exceptional work in rug hooking and quilting, receiving many ribbons throughout the years.
On February 7,1959, Marilyn married the love of her life, Delmar 'Del' Becker, at St. Anthony’s in Athens. They shared a remarkable life journey, which would have spanned 60 years, before Del's passing in 2019.
Marilyn and Del were a dedicated team, self-employed through “Del-Mar Becker Construction.” Their work took them far from their residences in Athens and Wausau, including many adventurous summers working in Alaska in locations such as Anchorage, North Pole, the Yukon Delta and Kodiak. During one memorable summer living on a small boat offshore in Port Snettisham, Marilyn cooked meals for the entire crew in the small galley and navigated the 20-foot daily tides to walk the dog along the shoreline.
Closer to home, Marilyn's professional life was diverse, including work at the Edgar Basket Factory, Wausau Insurance and Fiskars of Wausau. She became a local legend working in the lunch program at John Muir Middle School, where she ensured students always had alternative lunches and, most importantly, kept the cookies warm, earning her the affectionate nickname 'The Cookie Lady' from her students.
Teacher and Matriarch: Marilyn was an exceptional teacher, guiding her family, 4-H groups and various clubs to embrace home arts and special interests. Her hands-on legacy included baking homemade bread every week for decades, using a giant bread bowl for extra-large batches, and teaching her grandchildren how to bake her famous 'Grannie buns.' She loved the home and life she helped create: gardening and growing many rows of raspberries for delicious jam, canning vegetables and caring for her animals—including chickens, a rooster named Einstein, turkeys named Thanksgiving and Christmas, and her beloved Schnauzers. Marilyn was an avid Green Bay Packer fan, cheering them on every season with her bowl of honey crackle caramel popcorn. A testament to her team spirit, she even designed and painted their 100-foot windmill blades green and yellow with the Packer emblem. 'Go Pack Go!'
Family: Marilyn was preceded in death by her husband, Delmar Becker (2019), and two sons, Scott Jerome Becker (1989) and Michael Thomas Becker (2009).
She is survived by her daughter, Julia Ann 'Julie' Walcott (spouse Kerry), and a loving family that includes her grandchildren: Tiffany Mattila-Haas, Michael Newman, Saskia Walcott, Anna Becker and Skyla Walcott, and several great-grandchildren.
Marilyn’s siblings include her sisters: Luella 'Lolly' (Andy) Schreiner of Athens, Therese 'Terry' (Ray) Thuot of Wausau and Joan (Joe) Braun of Athens; brother Russ (Charlene - aka Chuckie) Janke of Athens; and sisterin-law, Carol (Jerry) Janke of Dade City, Fla. She was also preceded in death by her brothers: James (Claudine) Janke and Jerry Janke.
Service and Donations: A Celebration of Life will be determined at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Humane Society of Marathon County, 7001 Packer Drive, Wausau, WI54401. Phone: 715.845.2810.
Marilyn will be deeply missed by all who were touched by her creativity, her adventurous spirit, her warmth and a home-baked 'Grannie bun.'
At this time we are planning a small family gathering.
