Theodore (Ted) Wayne McPeak

Theodore (Ted) Wayne McPeak, 68, El Dorado Springs, passed away June 24, 2009, at his home. He was born Nov. 15, 1940, in Cedar County, northeast of Filley to Theodore (Jr.) and Golden Roxie (Austin) McPeak, at the family’s two-room farm home, the fifth of eight children.

He was baptized at an early age at First Christian Church in El Dorado Springs.

Ted was a man with a caring, generous, tender heart, with many talents and was an exceptionally bright student, as was revealed when he enrolled, late, in high school trigonometry class and soon became a teacher’s helper, explaining the subject to his classmates.

In 1958, Ted graduated from El Dorado Springs High School with a scholarship to a university in Chicago which he attended for one semester at which time he joined the Navy and then transferred to the Marines on April 30, 1959. He served with them for 15 years. His specialty was in electronics. He was sent to update the radar equipment at the Marine base in Cuba, during the Cuban Missile Crisis (The Bay of Pigs). Ted continued his education through correspondences courses and while serving several years in Japan, he learned to speak and write the Japanese language. He used this skill later in his travels and as an international consultant in the development of the wireless communications systems.

After being honorably discharged from the Marines, Ted made his home in Chicago, IL, where he was recruited by the Motorola Corporation and led the company in securing the original FCC Charter to develop the first wireless cell phone. He was instrumental in the development of this revolutionary technology among many other cutting-edge innovations in the communication industry and Motorola recognized him as Employee of the Year for this work. In later years, Ted did free-lance work, writing technical manuals for large electric companies.

Ted celebrated almost 25 years of marriage with his beloved wife, Jill Cartier, who preceded him in death in 1992. They enjoyed many shared passions, including traveling the world, culinary arts, photography and, most of all, they lived a life of generosity, bringing many blessings to their family and friends. Ted dearly loved his godchild, stepchildren and grandchildren (he had thousands of pictures of them). He also dearly loved all of his many nieces and nephews.

When the need arose, Ted returned to his roots in El Dorado Springs to spend several years as the primary caregiver for his mother, Golden McPeak. Just as he had blessed and cared for her in his early years, he was there for her in the final years of her life, so she was able to stay in her own home for several extra years and he continued to bless her by making her life in the nursing home more pleasant.

Ted was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Jill; two stepdaughters; his sister, Helen McPeak Jobson; and a brother-in-law, Royal Nelsen.

He is survived by his stepson, Lance; and by his brothers and sisters – Wyona Nelsen, Howard and Joan McPeak – all of El Dorado Springs, Mildred and Paul Veach – Joplin, Jim and Pat McPeak – Defiance, OH, Victor and Elizabeth McPeak – Sunrise, AZ, and Golden and Phil Kennedy – Colorado Springs, CO; and by his many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at the Pape Christian Church, north of Tiffin, at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26. Cremation was under the direction of the Sheldon Funeral Home, in El Dorado Springs. He will be placed beside his wife, Jill, in Chicago, at a later date.