LEBLANC, Theodore (Ted)

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 05/03/2011 Theodore (Ted) LeBlanc, 75, of Taylor died suddenly Thursday, April 28, 2011, at home. He was born April 1, 1936, in Stillwater, Okla. to Clara Sophie Miller and Zotique Joseph LeBlanc. He grew up in Glencoe and Stillwater, Okla. His family owned a dairy farm, and he was a true farm boy, doing hard farm work from a young age. They also raised cotton and corn and had a hay field. He knew farm machinery and it gave him a great base for future work in his life. At 17 he went into the military, serving in both the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force. His main job in the military was as a jet mechanic. He married Nelda Faye Caldwell, and they were stationed at Victoria Texas, and Luke Air Force Base. They raised a beautiful family of three girls: Terridawn, Tammy Faye, and Tonya Dee, and one son Timothy. During these years Ted became a carpenter, eventually working up to construction superintendent. Working for Farrar and Associates, he built many buildings all over the United States, mainly large commercial buildings, hospitals, banks and churches. Ted was an avid outdoorsman and loved shooting, trials motorcycle riding, and mountain biking, and also raised and bred horses and boxer dogs. He and Faye had many Boxer champions. After 32 years of marriage, they were divorced and Ted moved to Glendale, Calif. where he went to work for Mescal Construction and built many beautiful buildings. In time he met Joan Biddle and they had a wonderful time together for nearly two years, when in November, 1993, he suffered a massive stroke which left him paralyzed on the left side of his body. One month later, on December 18, 1993, he and Joan were married in Azusa, Calif. Within a few months, Ted joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and within a couple of years Ted and Joan were sealed for time and all eternity in the Los Angeles Temple. Ted was forced to retire, as a result of the stroke, and Joni worked five more years and upon retirement they bought a motor home and were able to live a life-long dream of traveling all over the United States. They made many friends and had many adventures and a marvelous time seeing the beautiful country. During that time they were also looking for the perfect place to live and found it in Taylor. In 2000, they moved to Taylor and bought a home that they love and it seemed like they had ‘come home’ when they walked into it. Living in Taylor has been like being in a wonderful family and have many wonderful friends. Due to his limitations, Ted loved to sit at the kitchen table and watch who was coming and going and knew pretty much what was going on all the time from his ‘command post.’ Ted is survived by his wife, Joni; four children: Terri (Jeff) Koskie, Santa Clarita, Calif., Tammy (Steve) Ruhberg, Canon City, Colo., Tonya (Daniel) Parks, Queen Creek, and Tim (Leslie) LeBlanc of Woodland, Calif., and four step-children: Mike (Beth) Noble of Riverside, Calif., Tim Noble of Riverside, Calif., Jeff (Robin) Noble of Mesa, and Kari (Steve) Diehl of Bullhead City, 20 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren with another due in June. He also leaves two sisters, Velma (Don) Swisher of Longview, Wash. and Ethel Sloan, Chouteau, Okla. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Stanley, Floyd, Louis and Paul. A viewing will be held from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 5, at Silver Creek Mortuary, 745 Papermill Rd. in Taylor. Funeral services will be held, Friday, May 6, with a viewing at 10 a.m. followed by the funeral at 11 a.m. Interment will be at Reed Hatch Memorial Cemetery in Taylor. Silver Creek Mortuary of Taylor handled arrangements. If you would like to leave condolences or memories of Ted, visit: www.silvercreekmortuary.net