PIERRE, SD –

Velma Becker, 86, of Pierre, passed away November 23, 2023. A gathering to remember Velma’s life will be held at 11:30am, Sunday, December 3, 2023 at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in their fellowship hall following their Sunday morning services. Order of the Eastern Star Memorial Services will begin at 11:30am followed by refreshments. A graveside service will be held at a later date.

Velma (Ryther) Becker was born on October 24, 1937 to Felix and Avis (Kinghorn) Ryther in Spearfish, SD. She was the youngest child in a family of seven children who lived in a tow-room log cabin in the St. Onge area, moving in 1941 to a larger farm closer to Belle Fourche.

She attended Todd School, a rural school north of St. Onge for seven years, and then Bell Fourche schools, graduating as valedictorian in 1955. During these years, she was a proud member of the local 4-H clubs and won many honors for her achievements at the local and state fairs.

After graduation from high school, she attended Northern State Teacher’s College at Aberdeen, SD, graduating in 1959 with highest honors and a BS degree in Education. She married Elwin Becker on December 28, 1958 and resided at Bath, SD where they farmed with Raymond (Hazel) and Austin (Bessie) Becker and she taught school at Columbia for one semester and Groton for three years. Their son Michael was born in May, 1960 while living on the Becker farm, making it a four generation family farm.

After leaving Bath, the moved to Newell, SD where Velma taught for two years. In 1967, they moved to Englewood, CO where she taught at nearby Littleton High School for two years while Elwin attended Colorado School of Trades to become a gunsmith. During this time period, she was also awarded a National Science Foundation Grant and received her Master’s Degree in 1970 from Colorado State University at Fort Collins after four summers of study.

Their next move was to Owen, WI where Elwin worded as a gunsmith and Velma drove to nearby Medford where she continued to teach mathematics for 27 years. In 1976, they made another move to a wooded property north of Medford where they built their home and started the Front Forty Gun Shop in their garage. Here, in addition to being a homemaker, gardener, fisherman, camper, advanced math teacher, math contest director and math team coach, active member of OES and Congregational UCC church, she also learned to be an amateur accountant and salesperson for the shop.

In 1997, she and Elwin retired and moved to Pierre where they continued to enjoy their hobbies of gardening, fishing, camping, and hunting. In 1998, she was first employed by the Pierre School District as a teaching assistant for 3 1/2 years and continued to substitute when needed at the middle and high school until November of 2015.

She was an active member of the Congregational UCC Churches in all the communities in which she lived, being confirmed in St. Onge and a member of the First Congregational UCC Church in Pierre. She was also a member of the Order of Eastern Star, Pierre Area Retired Teachers and Pierre Area Senior Center.

Velma is survived by her husband Elwin and son Michael, as wells as sister Grace (Rodney) McElroy of Portland, OR and brother Robert (Marva) Ryther of Belle Fourche, SD, along with many special nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends. She was preceded in death by her sister Florence and brothers Carl, Donald and William.

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