Melanie Ann Becker

Melanie was born in 1974 in Wilmington, Delaware. A few months after being born, her parents moved the family to Freehold, New Jersey. While there, her brother was born and the family enjoyed spending weekends together on Long Beach Island, where they owned a beach house. 

Growing up, Melanie and her brother would visit their grandparents every summer for an extended vacation. This is where she learned of her grandfather’s rich heritage as a hard-working coal miner. She enjoyed going to church with her grandparents every Sunday at the local Slovakian church. Melanie also enjoyed spending time with her lifelong friend, Danielle (Curvey) Maxwell. They always kept in touch and were able to recently get together.

In middle school, Melanie and her family moved to Sarasota, Florida where she truly learned to love the beach and suntanning. One of Melanie’s favorite places was on a chair in the sand taking in the sun. During her teenage years, Melanie learned how to play the piano and always worked hard to get good grades, demonstrated by her graduating high school as a member of the National Honor Society.

After high school, Melanie attended UCF in Orlando. She was a member of the UCF Marching Band, where she met her friend and roommate, Dory (Cantillo) Hays. Melanie started her studies as an Environmental Engineer, where she excelled, and was president of the Society of Women Engineers. It was during this time that she met and started dating her future husband. Melanie would eventually switch her major to Legal Studies and graduated with straight A’s in her legal coursework. With a passion to help people, she started working as a paralegal for law firms that specialized in worker’s compensation and social security issues. 

In 2001, Melanie moved to Boca Raton, Florida, got married, and adopted her first dog. These three events changed her for the rest of her life. This is when Melanie started spending more time with her nephews Mario and Wills, some of those times focused on tutoring. She always had a special way with them that no one else did, and often got them to do things no one else could. It was looking back at these special times and how she felt during them that she decided that she would much rather be a teacher than working in law as a paralegal. Also, from that point forward, she would always own at least one dog, usually more.

Once Melanie became a teacher, she started getting involved in her students’ lives. She taught middle school math at Lyon’s Creek Middle School in Coconut Creek, where there were many foster kids. Melanie would go to her students’ sporting events, dance recitals, and any other activities so they would see her supporting them, helping grow their confidence. Eventually, she became a special mentor to a certain young lady, which solidified her path to come.

In 2011, Melanie and her husband adopted three great kids. Her life became full with not only the three adopted sons, but all their sons’ friends, as well. Most nights she was hosting up to 10 kids that she would care for, help with homework; or just lend a listening ear and a warm comforting hug. Melanie continued to regularly attend football games, basketball games, track meets, and any other sporting event in which her kids participated. She also became a “team mom” to her son’s 7 on 7 football team. She also really enjoyed visiting college campuses with her son when he was being recruited for college football.

In the last few of years of her life, Melanie and her husband worked together as house parents, first at the Milton Hershey School, then at Thornwell Home. In this career path, Melanie found her true passion and calling. She was able to spend all her time helping young men and women guide their way through teenage issues. She always had a knack for knowing exactly what to say, and when to say it, or just offer a listening ear when it was most needed. Melanie would also encourage these young adults to be the best person they could and would give an abundance of positive support to these young individuals.

Melanie’s kind ways, mentorship, words of wisdom, and loving and giving nature will be sorely missed by many people, from the boys at the cottage she was working, to the students she had through the years, many that she kept in touch with.

Melanie was predeceased by her parents, Thomas Campbell and Marlene Sotak.  She is survived by her loving family:  Husband, Thomas Becker; sons Pasqual Burgess, Shawn Burgess-Becker, Trevis Burgess-Becker, Ertalvens Hermogene; grandchildren Maliyah Hermogene and Ertalvens Hermogene II, and Brother, Devin Campbell.

A visitation will be held from 4-6 PM on Sunday, November 21 at Glick Family Funeral Home in Boca Raton.  To watch the live-stream of the Wake Service beginning at 5:00 PM please click the following link http://meet.google.com/isg-jvaw-osj.  A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 AM on Monday, November 22 at St. Jude Catholic Church in Boca Raton.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Melanie's name to one of the following charities:

Thornwell Home for Children, http://thornwell.org

ChildNet, http://childnet.us

SOS Children's Village, http://sos-usa.org

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