Obituary of Phillip Becklin

Phillip Henry Becklin, 82, of Cambridge died unexpectedly on Monday, April 15, 2013 at the Cambridge Medical Center. He was born on December 5, 1930 in Cambridge, Minnesota to Lloyd and Ada (Walinder) Becklin. Phil grew up in Cambridge, attended country school at West Riverside School and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1949. In July 1951 he entered the U.S. Air Force. Phil served in the Korean Conflict, spending time in Korea and Okinawa, Japan. He was honorably discharged from active duty in July 1955, and remained in the reserves until July 1959. On December 10, 1955 he was united in marriage to Delores Pearson at the First Baptist Church in Cambridge. They spent their entire lives in Cambridge where they raised their five children. Phil worked for a time at the Ford Plant in St. Paul before attending Dunwoody Institute for two years to learn the electrician trade. He worked for Weber Electric for over 32 years, retiring from there in 1996. Phillip was a longtime active member of First Baptist Church; active in the Boys Brigade program, sang in the choir, coached church softball, and was a mentor for the youth and confirmation students. He was a member of the Cambridge American Legion. Phil was Cambridge-Isanti Bluejacket's #1 Fan, attending as many of the different sporting events as possible, he volunteered on the chain gang for football, was a starter for track, and ran the concession booth at basketball games. He was inducted in the Bluejacket Hall of Fame as an Honoree for Basketball. Phil went to all of his grandchildren's events and was their driver to many of those events. He volunteered at the Purple Hawk Golf Course at their tournaments and also drove cars for Hirsch's Cambridge Motors. Phil also enjoyed hunting with his kids and grandkids, caring for his pool and his yard and especially enjoyed decorating his home for the Christmas Holiday Season. He was preceded in death by his parents, infant brother Theodore and sister Leona Hanson. Phil is survived by his wife Delores, children Bryan and wife Michelle Becklin, Sharalyn and husband Dennis Anlauf all of Cambridge, David Becklin of Inver Grove Heights, Paul Becklin and fiancée Tammy Stoffel of Cambridge, Jennifer and husband Phil Schlenker of Cambridge, ten grandchildren Kelly, Mitchell and Nicholas Anlauf, Braden and Derek Becklin, Emily and Ali Becklin, Abriel, Austin and Ada Schlenker, three great grandchildren Aleah Becklin, Isabella and Ryder Anlauf, as well as many other relatives and friends.