Julius Wesley Becton Jr.

Lieutenant General (U.S. Army Retired) Julius Wesley Becton, Jr, a distinguished military leader and public servant, passed away peacefully at his home in Virginia on November 28, 2023, at the age of 97. He was born on June 29, 1926, to Julius Wesley Becton, Sr and Rose Banks Becton in Bryn Mawr, PA . General Becton was a staunch supporter of education and learning. After graduating from Lower Merion High School, he went on to become the first black student enrolled at Muhlenberg College and subsequently earned degrees from Prairie View A&M College, and the University of Maryland. General Becton has also been awarded 6 honorary doctorate degrees. His military education includes the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College, and the National War College. On January 29, 1948, he married the love of his life, Louise Thornton. They were married for almost 71 years. Together they raised five children and went on to live a remarkable life and impact the lives of countless people around the globe. Becton joined the army in 1944 and for almost 40 years he held a variety of leadership positions as he rose through the ranks from an enlisted man in a segregated army to becoming a three-star general. He served as the Squadron Commander of the 2ndSquadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment; the Brigade Commander, 2nd (St. Lo) Brigade, 2nd Armored Division; the Commanding General, 1stCavalry Division; the Commanding General of U.S. Army Operational Test and Evaluation Agency; and as the Commanding General, VII Corps – the Army’s largest combat corps in Europe during the Cold War. Becton is also a veteran of three wars, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Among his decorations are the Distinguished Service Medal, two Silver Stars, two Legion of Merit medals and two Purple Hearts, along with the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany. Becton retired from the US Army in 1983 and continued his service to the nation in various civilian roles. From 1984-1985 he was the Director of the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in the United States Agency for International Development. In 1985 he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to be the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency where he served until 1989. After leaving FEMA, Becton embarked on a new career as an education administrator. In 1989 he was inaugurated as the first Alumnus to become the President of Prairie View A&M University and in 1996 he became the Superintendent/CEO of the Washington, DC public school system. To some, General Becton will be remembered as a true American hero, a trailblazer, and a visionary leader. His family and friends will remember him as a man who loved God, who loved them dearly, and who inspired others to do their best in the service of others. His legacy will continue to inspire generations to come. He was preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Rose Becton, his wife, Louise, his brother, Joe and his sister, Barbara. He is survived by his 5 children: Shirley McKenzie (Tim), Karen Becton-Johnson, Joyce Best (Art), Renee Strickland (Frank), and Julius Wesley Becton III (Ingrid); his eleven grandchildren: Rena, Robin, Kim, Chris, Jocelyn, Stephen, Amber, Michelle, Emily, Wesley and Sam; eight great-grandchildren, devoted caregivers: Nana, Gina, Adwoa, Emelia, William and Derek, a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and sister-in-law, who grieve his loss and rejoice because of the life he led and the example he set. A memorial service was held at 10 am on December 22, 2023, at the Main Post Chapel at, Ft. Belvoir, VA. The service was livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/FortBelvoirRSO?mibextid=LQQJ4d. The funeral service will be held at The Old Post Chapel, Ft. Myer, VA on Monday, June 10, 2024 at 11 AM. Internment directly following in Arlington National Cemetery. The service at Arlington will be livestreamed. Please view here at the Live Web Streaming Link: https://my.anc.media/3xLxtrJ In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Prairie View A & M University, School of Nursing or The ROCKS, Inc Becton Scholarship. [https://giving.pvamu.edu/s/1880/bp19/interior.aspx?sid=1880&pgid=831&gid=2&cid=2003&ecid=2003&post_id=0] or The ROCKS, Inc. [https://www.rocksinc.org/content.aspx?page_id=305&club_id=459944&item_id=11394].

Tributes

Julius Wesley Becton Jr.

June 29, 1926 - November 28, 2023