By Marjorie Barkin Searl
Kurt Becker was born in Berlin, Germany. He escaped to Shanghai, China, which did not require visas to find refuge, and left Shanghai and arrived in San Francisco, California, in February 1947. On the ship manifest, his occupation was listed as ‘merchant.” In Rochester, he became a member of a Masonic lodge, volunteered for civil defense work, and was listed as a clerk in city directories. He was married to Edith Becker, who is also buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, but it is unknown why the couple is not buried together. Becker’s parents, Max and Mary, are also buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.