Theodore Maydew's Obituary
Theodore Dodd Maydew, son of Gerald Thomas and Lillian E. Dodd Maydew, was born June 4, 1925, in Kit Carson, Colorado. He departed this life Sunday, December 12, 2010, in his home, near Conway, Missouri, at the age of eighty-five years, six months, and eight days.
On March 6, 1957, he was united in marriage to Velma J. Heck, and to this union one daughter and two sons were born.
He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother, Lee Maydew.
Ted is survived by his loving wife of fifty-three years, Velma, of the home; two sons, Michael Maydew, and Matthew Maydew, and his wife, Cassie, all of Lebanon, Missouri; a daughter, Robbie Lee Calton, and her husband, Charles M., of Phillipsburg, Missouri; six grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a brother, Maxwell Maydew, of the State of Oregon; several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
He was raised on a stock farm near Kit Carson, Colorado, and graduated from high school there. He entered the United States Army and served three years in the European Theater during World War II, stationed mainly in Germany. Ted then went to Colorado University on the G.I. Bill, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree. He also joined the R.O.T.C. unit there and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Engineers. He served from 1950 until 1953 in Japan and Korea, and attained the rank of Captain. After being honorably discharged from the Army, he returned to Colorado where he met and soon married Velma. They moved to Taft, California where Ted worked in the oil fields drilling rigs. Before long he got a teaching job in Maricopa, California and taught, coached, and was principal for fifteen years. About this time, he and Velma began lovingly raising their family. They moved to a farm near Grand Junction, Colorado and Ted sold insurance for the Farm Bureau for the next several years. Before long the family moved back to California, this time to Frazier Park, and Ted drove a school bus and taught. During these years, Ted attended Pepperdine University and earned a Master of Science Degree. The family then moved to Lebanon in 1980, and Ted taught one year and then was promoted to Assistant Principal of the high school. He also completed a third graduate degree, an Educational Specialist, at Missouri State University. Within a few years, Ted decided to officially retire, and he and Velma opened a residential care facility which they operated for twenty years.
In his spare time, Ted enjoyed playing bluegrass gospel music. His family was very important to him and he considered himself to be extremely well blessed with his wonderful family and great friends.
Ted was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and uncle, and was a caring neighbor and friend. We celebrate his life and all of his accomplishments, and know that he had a full and satisfying life.
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