Obituary of James T. Becker

James T. Becker, November 27, 1977—July 4, 2026

James Townsend Becker, 48, of Montague, NJ, died peacefully surrounded by family, on July 4, 2026.

Born at Silas B. Hayes Army Hospital, Ft Ord, CA, he moved with his parents to Indian Lake, Denville in 1980. James graduated from Morris Knolls High School in 1996 and attended Virginia Tech in Blacksburg VA. He was a member of the Denville Community Church and volunteered with the Appalachian Service Project (ASP) for several years.

In his early years, James enjoyed playing the saxophone, scouting and honing his artistic and drafting skills. Like his Dad, he was a wiz on the computer and was self- taught in many areas. A talented architectural designer, James worked for engineering and architectural firms in northern NJ and NY for 15 years. He was a member of St. John’s Masonic Lodge, Mountain Lakes.

James was a lifelong fisherman. At the age of four, he caught a small bass during the annual family vacation in Grand Lake Stream, Maine. He proudly unhooked it himself, then showed off his catch wrapped in a sock. His mother, who never caught the fishing bug, was the most impressed! In recent years, his greatest joy was to be out on the water in his red kayak for a day of fishing. His Dad often joined him, and he recently bonded with his nephew Jacob over their mutual love for fishing. Out on the water, oftentimes fishing alone while enjoying the nature around him, was the place where James felt the most at home.

He also had a special place in his heart for his Siamese companions, Samantha and Aiko.

James is survived by his parents, Laurie and Daniel Becker, his sister Rachel Wolk and her husband Charles, his nephew Jacob and niece Maya. He is also survived by a large, loving family of five uncles and four aunts, their spouses and many cousins.

In adulthood, James lived with mental health and physical challenges. We will remember him for his extraordinary resiliency, kindness and generosity. His final act of generosity was donating to GIFT of LIFE. We will miss him every day but are comforted that he is now at peace. His family is grateful to the many kind people who supported him through the years, most recently his friend Jim S. and Eric from the Masonic Lodge.

Memorial services will be private. In memory of James, donations can be made to Denville Community Church/ASP, 190 Diamond Spring Rd, Denville NJ 07834 or NewBridge Services, 630 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains NJ 07444.