The road outside of Embassy Creek Elementary School was named after a beloved principal who died from cancer earlier this year.
The unveiling of Robert Becker Boulevard came Monday in front of a sea of yellow shirts worn by those who knew and loved the man many called "Mr. B," who dedicated 22 years as the principal of the Cooper City campus.
"He just loved people and he made you feel better. I could go in and talk to him about anything. He loved the children and he fought a courageous battle,” said Terry Ficara, who worked alongside Mr. Becker in the front office.
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Mr. Becker passed away from cancer in January. His wife Dina and son Brian were touched to see what he meant to so many.
“I think he just encouraged everybody to do the best they could and be the best person they could be and he would want to carry that legacy on,” Dina Becker said.
“I think that’s one of the reasons he was such a good principal, he always believed in every student that walked through the door,” Brian Becker said.
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The city sprang into action to designate the street. Parents who send their kids to Embassy Creek say he was larger than life.
“Mr. Becker was the guy greeting all the children in the morning, at the end of the day. He was a mentor to so many educators,” said city commissioner Jeremy Katzman.
Mr. Becker spent 37 years with Broward County Schools, first as a teacher and then as an assistant principal. He became a principal in 1998 and led Embassy Creek Elementary for 22 years.
His staff said he’d come to work even through treatment because he loved the school that much.
“Time goes by and things change, a part of him will be here forever with the street naming,” Dina Becker said.
There is a $500 scholarship set up in Robert Becker’s name. For more information visit: tinyurl.com/robertbeckerscholarship
