James M. Becher

MADISON / LANCASTER - James Michael Becher, known as Jim to his family, died at age 74 on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at home in Madison, Wis. Jim died suddenly after a brief battle with many problems, including congestive heart failure.

Jim is survived by four brothers and sisters, Mary (John) Elwell of Crystal, Minn., together with their three children, Peter (Kate) Elwell, Sarah (Jacob) Nelson of Brooklyn Park, Minn., and Thomas Elwell of Chicago, Ill.; Mark Becher of Rialto, Calif.; Greg (Janet) Becher of Santa Paula, Calif., together with their eight children, J. Maximilian (Deirdre) Becher of Benton, Maine, Mary (Benjamin) Block of Santa Paula, Calif., Katherine (Christopher) Lawless of Broken Arrow, Okla., Margaret (Jonathan) Culbreath of Santa Paula, Calif., Thomas (Clare) Becher of Santa Paula, Calif., Zoë (Jacob) Loera of Huntington Beach, Calif., Roman (Gianna) Becher of Overland Park, Kan., and Gianna Becher of Santa Paula, Calif.; Catherine (Mark) Donnelly of Omaha, Neb., together with their nine children, Sean (Jane) Donnelly of Broken Arrow, Okla., Colleen (William) Bittman of Sherwood Park, Alberta, Theresa (Daniel) Jacobson of Bashaw, Alberta, Lawrence Donnelly of Gallup, N.M., Francis (Ingrid) Donnelly of Floyd, Va., Allanna Donnelly of Anaconda, Mont., Joseph Donnelly of Omaha, Neb., Mary-Katherine Donnelly of Omaha, Neb., and Gregory Donnelly of Omaha, Neb.; also by 35 great-nephews and great-nieces, Hope and Morgan Elwell; Mattias, Chiara and Josie Nelson; Siobhán, Declan and Annabelle Becher; Raphael Block; Christine, Sarah, Hannah, Paul, William and Stephen Lawless; Tristan, Aidan and Topa Culbreath; Finneas and Charlie Becher; Jacob and Carmen Loera; Bibiana, Kateri and Augustine Donnelly; Leo, Aaron, Sean and Edmund Bittman; Esther, Deborah and Anne Jacobson; Moses, Callum and Giles Donnelly; and many cousins, of which a particular favorite was Louise Bowen of Fond du Lac, Wis.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Leo and Corinne Becher of Lancaster, Wis.; and brother, John Becher of Necedah, Wis.

Although Jim was born in Milwaukee, his family soon moved to Lancaster, Wis., where he was raised. Jim attended St. Clement Elementary School and graduated from Bonaventure High School (Sturtevant) in 1969. Jim played flute in the school bands and was a Boy Scout. He spent most of his adult life living in Madison.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. CLEMENT CHURCH, 135 S. Washington St., Lancaster, at 10 a.m. on Thursday, November 6, 2025. Burial will be held at Saint Clement Catholic Cemetery.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420