Gerald Don Becker was born September 27, 1957, to Gerald B. Becker and Shirley Lynette Lewis in Kaufman, Texas. He grew up in Mesquite and began his career in the fire service in August 1983 when he was hired by Plano Fire-Rescue as a firefighter.

Becker was very passionate about his job and firmly believed in the dedication and brotherhood it stood for. Don was promoted to driver engineer in June 1999 and maintained this position until his passing on March 12, 2020. He was very involved in training his fellow firefighters, especially on the compressed air foam system (CAFS) that he was quite partial to. Don could tell you everything about his engine and would talk endlessly about it with anyone who would listen. At Plano Fire-Rescue, Don, who was lovingly known as Goon, worked at several fire stations, with the last many years spent at Plano’s Fire Station 3 on B Shift. In 2016, he was awarded Firefighter of the Year for Plano Fire-Rescue.

Don was a devoted and loving husband, father, PawPaw, brother, and friend. He is survived by his loving wife, Marian; sons, Jason and Taylor; daughters, Kayla and Brittany; brother, Warren; ten grandchildren; and countless nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Don had a big personality and didn’t hesitate to speak his mind. If he thought you were wrong, he would certainly let you know. He was a man of facts and loved a good debate. If you didn’t agree with him, he would challenge you until you understood his reasoning. He called it standing his ground. His family just called it stubbornness. His favorite saying was “Wrong is wrong and right is difficult.”

When he wasn’t spending his spare time at the station breaking in the rookies, Don had many hobbies that he enjoyed. He had many talents including welding, architecture, and training horses. Don was a true cowboy and an active member of the rodeo. He participated in events such as roping and steer wrestling but would be perfectly content herding cattle for hours on end. Don received a degree in architecture and built his home from the ground up. He had a very eclectic taste in music, ranging from old country to classical piano to rock. When guests came over, he loved to blast Hotel California by the Eagles on surround sound. He enjoyed cooking and would frequently whip up a pot of extremely hot chili, challenging anyone brave enough to try it.

Don was a strong mountain of a man with an enormously caring heart to match. On the exterior, he was a gruff grizzly bear, but once you saw him for who he was on the inside, he was the kindest soul you would ever be blessed to know.