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David had a strong moral code and work ethic, as well as a desire to help people, which guided him to significant accomplishments in several fields.

David William Becker, Jr., MD, JD, age 84, passed away from complications of encephalitis on Friday, July 24, 2026, at a Twin Falls hospital surrounded by his family.

David was born on February 4, 1942, in Wendell, Idaho, to David William Becker and Thora Harriet Douglass Becker. David grew up in Jerome, helping his father on the family farm that his grandparents, Minnie Evelyn Albright Becker and William August Becker, cleared of sagebrush as early pioneers in Jerome County. David was the oldest of 6 children.

David had a strong moral code and work ethic, as well as a desire to help people, which guided him to significant accomplishments in several fields. David started his military career when he was a junior in high school. He joined the Idaho Air National Guard as an Airman Basic a week after turning seventeen. He served in various capacities in the Air Force, including Weapons Mechanic, Flight Surgeon, Chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center, and Director of Health Services at the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver. David was appointed a consultant to the USAF Surgeon General in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 1982 and again in 1989. He retired with the rank of Colonel in 2002.

David was a lifelong physical fitness advocate, who enjoyed vigorous exercise. To almost the very end of his life, he could still amaze his fellows at the gym by the length of time he could hold a plank, his kettlebell capacity, and the number of pull-ups he could achieve.

In addition to challenging his body, he enjoyed challenging his brain. He was valedictorian of his high school class in 1960 and obtained his bachelor’s degree at the College of Idaho in 1963. He then attended Washington State University School of Veterinary Medicine and the University of Washington School of Medicine, from which he received a medical degree in 1968. After internship, David completed residencies at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in San Antonio and obtained Board Certification in two surgical specialties: Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery) and Plastic Surgery. He then completed the Maytag Fellowship in Plastic Surgery with D. Ralph Millard, Jr., M.D. at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, with emphasis on cleft lip and palate surgery and subspecialty training in hand surgery.

David was an Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery (Plastic), both at the University of Texas in San Antonio and at the University of Utah. He published over two dozen medical articles and chapters in medical texts and was a member of many medical and surgical societies.

David married Karan Winterholler in 1966 and they had four children. After spending the early years of their marriage in San Antonio, they moved to Boise, where he set up a private practice at Anderson Hall, then later to Twin Falls, where he practiced Plastic and Reconstructive surgery at the Twin Falls Clinic. In 1995, David became disabled due to complications from two herniated discs in his neck. He was obliged to retire from operating as a Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon much earlier than he had expected or wanted.

He moved to Denver with his second wife, Dustina Byce, and worked as Director of Health Services at the Air Reserve Personnel Center there while studying at the Denver University Sturm College of Law. David graduated in December 2001 in the top 5% of his class. He was Senior Articles Editor on the Law Review and was awarded the Fox Fellowship at the Eleanor Roosevelt Institute, where he later served on the Institutional Review Board. David passed the Colorado Bar Exam in May 2002. He published several legal articles and book chapters and served on the Board of The Colorado Lawyer, the journal of the Colorado Bar Association.

Dusti and David welcomed a son, Dawson William Becker, in 2002. David proudly christened himself a “soccer dad” and took great pleasure in being a stay-at-home parent to his son. He enjoyed watching Dawson excel in sports, academics, and theater while growing into a thoughtful and productive adult.

In 2007, David and his family moved back to Twin Falls, where they were delighted to be able to spend more time with many extended family members, and especially with David's son Trae, who was a role model and good friend to his brother Dawson. Sadly, Trae (39) died in Twin Falls in 2017, a low point for the entire extended family. To honor Trae's memory, David established the Trae David William Becker III Scholarship Fund at the College of Southern Idaho.

David and Dusti divorced in 2014, but worked to remain good friends and continue raising Dawson together.

David chose resilience after any obstacle in his life. He viewed his losses as "a springboard to living a life of impact." To develop this resilience, he relied on his religious faith, extensive reading, iron self-discipline, and ongoing study and practice of eastern meditative traditions. David gave generously to family members, his church, his community, and a multitude of charities. One of his legacies is Becker Park in Jerome, a portion of his grandparents' farm that he donated to the Jerome City Recreation Department.

David was appreciated for his quick wit and sense of humor, along with his humble and kind spirit. He will be deeply mourned.

There will be a memorial service at 10:30 AM on Saturday, August 15, 2026, at Demaray’s Jerome Chapel, 629 3rd Ave. East, Jerome, Idaho. Burial will follow with military honors in the Jerome Cemetery next to the graves of his parents.

In lieu of flowers or plants, a memorial contribution can be made to the Trae David William Becker III Scholarship Fund, College of Southern Idaho, Twin Falls, Idaho.