Rebecca Horstkoetter-a wife to one husband for forty-four years and dedicated mother to four children for nearly four decades––died Sunday, June 11, after a two year battle with brain cancer. She was sixty-six. Born to Annie and Aubra Wrather in May of 1951, Becky grew up in Portageville, Missouri. There she came to love her family and the land they farmed. But when she went to college at Mizzou, she found another person to love and, in turn, another land too. After she received her bachelor's degree in human nutrition and John Horstkoetter in engineering, they married in May of 1973. Both then earned their respective master's degrees the following year. In the time since, they lived around the country and globe; however, they came to love Alaska most. Or as they called it, the best "foreign assignment in the US." Nestled in a dell next to the Chugach mountains, they built for their children a home of faith, hope, and love. Yet, as the one who held the family narrative, she constantly reminded her children of her roots in the people and land of Southeast Missouri. There was always Portageville, and so she will be buried there. Becky had a diverse range of interests, from scrapbooking and knitting to horseback riding and waterskiing to singing and world traveling. Her pursuit of these activities was driven partly by her curious mind but mostly by her care for other people. Her loving devotion to her family was expressed by the giving of her time and resources. She extended the same, steadfast devotion to her church and to one of her greatest hopes––that everyone would eat their "dark green, leafy vegetables." We have yet, however, to find an explanation for her deep love of corny jokes, the kind that only a first-grader would relish. Becky is survived by her husband, John Horstkoetter; her brothers, Roy Wrather with wife Brenda and Charles Wrather; her daughter Anna Elliott with husband William; her sons, David Horstkoetter, Paul Horstkoetter with wife Stephanie, and Michael Horstkoetter; grandson, Gabriel Elliott; her numerous relatives; and her friends who are nearly kin, like Lovie Holmes. Becky will be sorely missed until we see her again. A service was held in Alaska on June 15, 2017 at noon at the Anchorage City Church. Visitation will be held on Friday June 23, 2017 at the Delisle Funeral Home in Portageville, MO from 5:30pm until 8:00 pm. The final service will then follow at the First United Methodist Church in Portageville, Missouri on Saturday June 24, 2017 at 10:00 A.M. In the fall a team of family and friends will be running the Chicago Marathon in Becky's honor. In lieu of flowers, please consider making memorial contribution to the American Brain Tumor Association team, Becky's Brainiacs. For the donation website, see hope.abta.org/goto/BeckysBrainiacs. Money raised will provide critical funding for brain tumor research and for supportive patient care.