Lewes Chamber says farewell to Ted Becker
Lewes owes a lot to Ted Becker.
The former mayor, 75, died Oct. 6. He left a legacy that many said changed the city forever.
The Lewes Chamber of Commerce honored that legacy at its monthly breakfast Nov. 21. A photo of Becker sat on the podium.
People who knew and worked with Becker used words like visionary, professional and friend to describe him.
Lewes Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Betsy Reamer credited Becker for annual tulip festival and for designing the chamber’s logo. She said he was already thinking of how to celebrate the city’s 400th anniversary in 2031.
Becker was also the driving force behind the preservation of Canalfront Park and creating Second Street as a shopping hub.
“He was always thinking forward,” Reamer said. “Ted was a wonderful mentor to me, and in the 24 years we worked together, he was just a really good friend.”
Becker was serving as the chamber’s vice president at the time of his passing. Heath Gehrke, Delaware River and Bay Authority director of ferry operations, will fill out Becker’s term.
Becker was also a DRBA commissioner whose term was set to expire in 2027.
Lewes Mayor Andrew Williams, who succeeded Becker, said the chamber has big shoes to fill.
“From my experience sitting in the seat where Ted once sat, you have a lot of respect for his work and his vision. When he came to Lewes, he understood what Lewes could be and what it would take to get there,” Williams said.
Former Sen. Ernie Lopez picked up the photo of Becker from the podium and said he was going to put his arms around his friend one more time.
“He is missed, this beautiful man who Joe shared with us for so many years, who gave so much of himself to the town and the entire state,” Lopez said.
Other speakers said Becker knew how to get things done by forming relationships and getting people to work together.
“If you did Legos when you were a kid, there was always that one block you wanted, the one that connected to everything. You put wheels on it to make a car. You could put wings on it to make a plane. That was Ted,” said Dr. David Tam, Beebe Healthcare president and CEO.
Becker was involved in the Greater Lewes Foundation’s campaign to save the Fourth Street Forest as open space. Former Lewes Mayor Jim Ford said donations to that effort can be made to the GFL in Becker’s name.
Reamer also celebrated Anita Vollmer, visitor center manager, for 13 years of service to the chamber.
Vollmer was presented with artwork recognizing how thankful the organization is for her hard work.
