Donna Becker, 91, of Kenosha passed away at the Legacy at St. Joseph in Kenosha on September 27, 2023. She was born August 6, 1932, to the late Theodore and Catherine (Kemen) Becker in Kenosha. She was educated in the schools of Kenosha and was a graduate of Bradford High School. She received her bachelor’s degree from Carthage College.
Donna spent her career as a teacher, mostly at Shiloh Elementary School in Zion, Illinois. She often reflected on how much she enjoyed teaching students and being able to add to their young lives.
Donna played professional baseball as part of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL); the league made famous in the “A League of Their Own” movie. In 1951 she was a pitcher on the Kalamazoo Lassies team and in 1953 played first base for the Rockford Peaches. Donna and her colleagues from the AAGPBL are recognized at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York where Donna’s name and contributions are part of their permanent museum collection. When the AAGPBL had their reunion in Kenosha in August 2023, representatives from that league connected with Donna as part of their reunion celebration. Even though Donna was frail, she said their visit brought “a smile to my soul.”
Donna is survived by her sister Barbara Becker Remington, and her brother Ted Becker. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews and great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, and brothers Bob, Bill, Gene and Thomas and sister Margaret Becker Bakula.
The family would like to thank Donna’s niece Shelly Becker for her unwavering support and care throughout Donna’s final years as well as Cheyanne from Legacy and Kenosha Hospice Alliance, especially Lisa, for the compassion shown to Donna.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday October 3rd, 2023, at 11:00AM at St. Anthonys Catholic Church in Kenosha. (2223-51st street) Visitation with the family will be on Tuesday at the church from 10:00AM until the time of mass. Burial will follow at St. George catholic Cemetery.
