William Becker was born in Milwaukee to Helen and Morris Becker on June 2, 1936. He grew up in Tucson, graduated from Tucson High in 1954, attended Marquette in Milwaukee and graduated from Marquette Dental School in 1961. As he used to say, “he married up” to Joyce Goldwyn in 1959.
They moved to New York where he took a dental internship at Beth Israel Hospital; then to Misawa, Japan where he was a dentist and Captain in the United States Air Force and where their daughter Karen was born; then to Dallas where he did research for Squibb and received a Master’s in Dentistry. He and Joyce returned to Tucson where he opened his periodontal practice in 1964 and where their son Mark was born. Later his brother Burton joined him in the office. He practiced there until he retired in 2016.
Even when he was in private practice, he believed in giving back to his profession, so he taught at dental schools at both USC and the University of Washington. He also gave demonstrations and lectures all over the world and authored over 100 scientific papers. He continued to do research for Nobel, Neoss, Danaher, and other implant companies.
He loved his family and was a good friend to many patients, employees and colleagues. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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