It is with sadness that I am reporting that Ted Becker passed away on the morning of January 20, 2024, at the age of 80. Ted was admitted to Bellevue Overlake Hospital on August 19, 2022, after he experienced extreme fatigue and difficulty breathing, and ultimately was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis. After several weeks, some in the ICU, he recovered enough to be transferred to a care hospital in Seattle, and then on to a care hospital in Everett, where he has been for most of the time since.
He was making slow progress towards recovery and working with PT and OT personnel to build up strength, looking forward to the time he could return to his home. Unfortunately, while at the care hospital, he contracted a MRSA infection, then contracted Covid. Somewhat recovered from those infections, he then came down with pneumonia, which resulted in another trip to the ICU, this time at Providence Hospital in Everett. He recovered enough to leave Providence and go back to the care hospital a couple of weeks ago, although once again he was intubated. It is suspected that a blood clot caused his death.
Ted was a long-time member of the NMRA and the Fourth Division. Both he and I go back far enough in the NMRA that we were able to take out life memberships, which category no longer exists. For several years, Ted ran the Snohomish Railfans Clinic, and would often attend 4D clinics in Kirkland and Seattle (back in the Beacon Hill Clinic days). He also attended numerous NMRA national and regional conventions. In 2015 he and I started the Mount Vernon Clinic, at the urging of fellow model railroaders Tom Buckingham and Nick Muff (the four of us had been driving each month over to the Oak Harbor Clinic).
After retiring from Boeing, he and his companion, Janie, built a house outside of Granite Falls. The house included a railroad room, of course, and he spent many happy hours designing (and redesigning) his layout and building (and rebuilding) it.
While hospitalized, Ted made use of his laptop computer and spent many hours working out a new layout design for his layout room. He, like most model railroaders, was always dreaming and imagining his next layout. He also, at my request, drafted up some CAD plans for a snowshed for my layout, which I have just about completed. He was quite adept at CAD drafting.
Ted was also an avid radio control airplane enthusiast and was a member of a couple of flying clubs in the Monroe area.
His wealth of knowledge and years of experience in our hobby, and his willingness to help others, will be sorely missed in the Fourth Division.
Respectfully, Al Carter, Mount Vernon Clinic
I attended several conventions with Ted and found him to be a wonderful companion. I haven’t seen him for several years as I battled my own illnesses but I will miss his friendship!
Curt & I WILL MISS Ted , He was a very good modeler & smart IVER
TED will be missed by Curt & I He was a great modeler and very smart. Sorry to hear this thought. he was improving IVER
I am so sad to hear of his loss. Ted encouraged me in the hobby from the first time I met him. Always kind, funny and a wealth of knowledge. Condolences to Janie, family and friends.
Sincerely,
Susan Gonzales
Rest in Peace Ted.
Ted
You will be greatly missed
Ted was what makes this hobby as great as it is: positive, constructive, creative, fun to be around, and willing to share what he knows with others. He will be missed.
Dick Haines
Ted was very much involved with the Swamp Creek Club, and he became a mentor for many of us. He will be missed.
I met Ted at the Mt Vernon Clinics and model train shows a few years ago and sad to hear the news of his passing. He certainly was a gentleman and a wealth of knowledge when it came to model railroading. My condolences to Janie, family, friends, and all of his fellow model railroaders in the area. I know that Al, Tom, and Nick have lost a close friend and colleague and that Ted will truly be missed by all and especially by the Mt Vernon Clinic.
John Filippone
Jonesborough, Tennessee
John, drop us an email at tartas@frontier.com and let us know how it’s going for you. Jim and Betty.
So sorry to hear this. My condolences to Janie and all of his friends in the hobby. Ted was he epitome of a giving mentor who always inspired others. I’ll miss him.
Jim Tartas
I am so sad. Ted was always friendly and helpful. Made me feel as if we had known each other forever. When I started using DCC, he explained what I needed and several helpful directions to go. I was hoping he would fully recover and return to the clinics again.
God Bless,
Terry Kandzor
I Ted around 2003. At that time he lived in Monroe. I had a layout in Granit Falls. Ted and his friend Ron Gutzmere started coming over every Tuesday night to help with the layout and to operate. Ted converted me from DC to DCC using DigiTrax. Ron installed decoders in 7 engines to get the layout running. Ted recruited a couple of others to come on Tuesday nights and we meet weekly for several years until I was transferred to the Bellingham and no longer had regular days off. Ted taught me electronics, how to wire a DCC layout, how to install decoders in a locomotive and introduced me to Kaptron insulating tape. Later when I relocated to Marysville and was having operating sessions a couple of times a month Ted was a regular attending these. While he has been sick the past year I missed not being able to call him when I had a electrical issue for his advice. I did visit him last month to tell him how much all his help meet to me. He could not speak, but got a big smile on his face when I was thanking him.
Ted was a great friend even though we were miles apart. Ted introduced me to Arduino’s at the 2015 Portland NMRA convention. I was looking for a new microprocessor to use on my railroad. We emailed each other daily for many years. We spent a week together at the 2019 NMRA convention in Salt Lake City. So sorry to hear of his passing.
John R. Mick
Tina and I are so sad to hear of Ted’s passing. He was a good friend, always willing to help and answer questions about anything model railroading. His passing is a tremendous loss to our community as a friend, fellow modeler and railfan. Personally, I know I’ll miss him a lot! RIP. my friend!