Joan B. Becker

Joan Baker Becker, age 85, living in Easton, Maryland, passed away while resting peacefully on February 12, 2026. A loving mother, sister, grandmother and great-grandmother will be deeply missed. Joan was born to Clifford and Rossie Baker in Baltimore, MD on October 3rd, 1940, and was married to Harry Allen Becker who preceded her in death. From an early age, Joan had a zest for living life to the fullest. At 20 years old, she drove a yellow Fiat convertible. She loved that car which started her passion for sports cars – a passion that never really ended. She met the man that became her husband while working at Blue Cross. They moved to Ellicott City and had four boys from the years of 1962 to 1970. The convertible became a memory, and the kid hauler took its place. The kids were very active in sports and Joan drove the kid hauler like a sports car all over the place. She was always considered “one of the gang”, so all of her kid’s friends got to know her. As the kids grew, her hobby of knitting filled the void left by not having to haul the kids so much. Her knitting skills improved to the point where her sweaters made the cover of several fashion magazines. She later met Lee Andersen, and they became business partners with the vision of selling wearable art. Lee did the design and managed production while Joan ran the business. Together they forged a fashion business that grew to include several of their own stores, a large production facility, and a distribution network representing over 900 stores nationwide, including Nordstroms. Along the way, her grandchild count started increasing and interacting with the grandkids became the highlight of any day. Eventually, she stepped away from the business to take care of her health and moved permanently to the Easton area to their shore house on Plain Dealing Creek. This was her happy place, and she lived for the warm summer days when the kids and grandkids came to play. She was a pioneer for stand-up-paddleboarding on the river and enjoyed many quiet paddles with anybody that was up for it. Jimmy buffet had become her favorite music and she evolved into a true Parrot Head. Jimmy’s music matched her outlook on life – fun loving with a splash of lime! She also loved crabbing with the trot line, but especially loved watching the grandkids get so excited catching crabs. She often exclaimed she was the “best crabber on the Chesapeake Bay.” She spent her last eight wonderful years living in her happy place, loving the kids, grandkids, as well as her first great granddaughter that arrived in 2025. She was the most selfless, kind and welcoming soul who made an impression on everyone she met. She will be missed, but her legacy will live on. Joan is preceded in death by her siblings Pat Hartman, Peg Mooney, Ron Baker, and Charlene Swanke. Joan is survived by her siblings Cliff Baker (and his wife Bonnie) and Bobby Hess (and his wife Kathy); as well as her four sons including Mike (and his wife Zoe), Bill (and his wife Terrie), Tim (and his wife Christina) and Rick (and his wife Mairead). The grandkids include Brian (with his wife Amanda), Bradley, Blake, Brooke, Sean and Devon. Her only great granddaughter is Blaire Becker, daughter of Brian and Amanda. The family will receive guests and friends at Fellows, Helfenbein & Newnam Funeral Home, Easton, on Sunday, February 22nd from 1pm until 2pm. A short service will follow at 2pm. Interment at Loudon Park Cemetery will take place on Monday, February 23rd at 1pm.

Joan B. Becker

October 3, 1940 - February 12, 2026