Ken Becker

Ken Becker is a lifelong fan of UW-Madison but didn’t have high hopes of enrolling as the youngest child of what he describes as “one of the poorest families in Johnson Creek, Wisconsin.” After high school, Ken joined a sheet metal apprenticeship program in Milwaukee where he worked full-time, earning 40 cents an hour, while attending vocational school. After saving up some money, and with the support of his sister who lived nearby, Ken enrolled at Northwestern University.

After the U.S. entered World War II, Ken enlisted into the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1941. He was trained as an Aviation Gunner and Flight Navigator. His first assignment was as a Navigator on a B-17 Bomber with the 15^th Air Force stationed in Italy, and Ken ran 17 bombing missions over Northern Italy, Austria, and Germany. Ken returned to the United States in 1943 and completed his service obligation in 1945.

Ken enrolled at UW-Madison and completed a degree in business in 1949. Shortly after his college graduation, Ken answered the call to serve again and deployed to Guam. He flew air-sea rescue missions as a Navigator on a B-29 and conducted hundreds of flight hours recording meteorological readings to aid in the government’s study of the jet stream.

After serving in Guam, Ken was discharged by the Army. He returned home and married the love of his life, Marjean. The two had five children. Ken also had an accomplished 35-year career in the finance industry, from being the first employee at the new Mundelein Savings and Loan (Illinois) to eventually becoming president and chairman of the board.

Throughout the years, Ken and Marjean have travelled to all 50 states and 74 countries. After his retirement, Ken and Marjean settled Lake Wisconsin. Ken has been active with the Wisconsin Alumni Association since the 1950s, earning several honors over the years. These days, Ken enjoys fishing at his home on the lake with a Manhattan in hand.