Theodore Byron Tellefsen

Theodore Byron Tellefsen, (aka “Teddy” to friends, “Baba” to grandchildren), age 82, of Drummond Island, Michigan, died on July 9, 2018, surrounded by family at his home. He was born on March 15, 1936, in Detroit, Michigan, to Theodore R. and Joy F. (Bailey) Tellefsen. Ted was the oldest of six children. Ted grew up on Drummond Island and graduated from DeTour High School in 1953. His mom was a school teacher on Drummond, and his dad was a ferry boat captain. He left Drummond to attend college, and began working at American Airlines. In 1955, he took a hiatus from AA and joined the US Army Airborne Division, serving as a paratrooper, and had the distinction of being the 10,000th paratrooper graduate. After serving his military obligation, he resumed employment at American Airlines. During the next decade, he worked at AA and attended Eastern Michigan University where he earned his BA and MBA. In 1959, Ted married flight attendant, Janice Shera, and they immediately started their family. After 42 years of employment, he retired from American Airlines and moved back to Drummond Island. Ted traveled extensively during his years at AA, and especially loved golfing all over the world with his friends and family. He believed golf courses were the most picturesque places on earth and he cherished those experiences. Ted was a legendary outdoorsman with a lifelong passion for fishing and hunting, as well as raspberry and morel mushroom picking, canning, card playing, and gardening. He not only enjoyed sharing his passions with his family and friends, but he relished in passing his wisdom, knowledge, and tricks of the trade on to them. Teddy was kind, considerate, polite, smart, resourceful, strong, independent, loving, patriotic, and above all, FUN! He could captivate a room with his memories and stories, and if you shared in any of those memories with him at all, you knew just what a wonderful son, brother, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend Ted was. More importantly, he was the most caring and loving dad and grandfather anyone could hope for. Ted was preceded in death by his son, Ted Eric Tellefsen in 1972, and is survived by his daughters, Lisa Tellefsen of South Portland, Maine and Kristin (Niel) Donnelley of Lake Forest, Illinois; grandchildren, Theodore, James, and Caroline; sisters, Mary Jean Ledy of Freeland, Michigan, Joy Anne Cameron of Drummond Island, Michigan, and Jewel Beth Wamsley of Traverse City, Michigan; brothers, John Warren (Carol) Tellefsen of Medina, Ohio and Thomas Arden (Rosanne) Tellefsen of Phoenix, Arizona; as well as several special nieces and nephews. A Private "Celebration of Life" service will be held in August. Interment will be at Drummond Island Cemetery.

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Theodore Byron Tellefsen

March 15, 1936 - July 9, 2018