• Tillie Becker, 90, Topeka, died Monday, Oct. 28, 2002 at a Topeka Nursing Facility.
Mrs. Becker was an outstanding golfer and won the Kansas State Amateur Golf Championship four times, as well as winning many city and club championships during a 45-year period. She had played with many of the golf professionals of her time, including Babe Zaharias, and in 1951 she played in the Topeka Flood Relief Benefit with Bob Hope, Danny Kaye and Gordon MacRae.
She was born Aug. 27, 1912 to Roscoe and Eliza Tidler Baker. She moved to Topeka in 1926.
Mrs. Becker was a volunteer for Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center for 37 years. She had served on the hospital auxiliary board, and she served as a representative for many golf-related associations.
She married Marshall Becker on August 1, 1930. He died Feb. 8, 1982.
Survivors include a daughter, Marsha Williams, Dothan, Ala; two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
3139, p 2• Topeka’s amateur champ dies at 90
[excerpts] Tillie Becker will be remembered fondly by Topeka golfers who recall four Kansas State Amateur Championships as well as many city and club championships won during a 45-year period.
But what many don’t know is she played with many of the golf professionals of her time, including Babe Didrickson Zaharias.
Becker played in the Topeka Flood Relief Benefit with Bob Hope, Danny Kaye and Gordon MacRae in 1951.
4130, p 2• On this date:
40 years ago
Mrs. Marshall Becker and Mrs. Eugene Smith, medalist and defending champion respectively, fired their way into the finals of the City Women's golf tourney at the Public Courses. Glen Dillon, John Begert, Ken Murrow and Gary Fletcher shot sub-par golf to make it to the semifinals of the men's tournament.
4128, p 1• Tillie (Baker) Becker’s golf clubs were on display at the Kansas Historical Society Museum in the Spring of 2011 through the end of September of 2011 as part of the “150 Things We Love About Kansas” exhibit for the sesquicentennial, 150th birthday, of the state of Kansas.
Brenda went to the museum in August 2011 to see it. The clubs had been previously on display at the Topeka Shawnee Country Club but were moved at the request of Judy Bray, Tillie’s niece, a daughter of Nellie, who was Tillie’s husband Marshall’s sister, after the Country Club went under new management. Judy was able to see the display on Wednesday, August 10th and was very pleased.
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