Theodore "Ted" Vesa Jr., 77 of Columbia City, died peacefully at 3:18 p.m. Tuesday August 16, 2022, at Grace Village Healthcare where he had been a resident since December, 2021.

Born on March 10, 1945, in Gary, Indiana, he was the son of the late Theodore and Sylvia E. (Chuch) Vesa. Growing up in Gary, Ted was a paperboy for Gary Post Tribune for six years.  His family attended Glen Park Baptist Church.  Ted graduated from Lew Wallace High School in 1963.

He worked at U.S. Steel in Gary and had many stories of working at the Sheet and Tin Mill.  He also worked at American Bridge, all are divisions of U.S. Steel

Ted attended Grace College from 1965 – 1969.  At Grace College Ted played tennis for two years.  While there he met a girl from Ohio who became the light of his life, Janet Bock.  They married following graduation. They celebrated 53 years of marriage on July 5.  For most of those years they made their home in Columbia City.

He was a member of IHSAA and licensed official in basketball, volleyball and baseball.  He was also a member of NEA and ISTA and Whitley County Teachers Association where he was president for eight years starting in 1987.  He was also a member of Indiana Bluebird Society and State President 2005-2009.  He was a member of Westridge Baptist Church in Fort Wayne for many years.  The church eventually moved west of Fort Wayne, becoming Oak Park Church where Ted has attended for 14 years. Ted taught junior high school social studies at Coesse for 27 years and spent nine years at Indian Springs before retiring in June 2005.

He enjoyed Bible Study Fellowship in Fort Wayne and Warsaw, and made many friends as they studied the scripture together.  Ted enjoyed fishing and gardening.  He was a faithful fan of the Chicago Cubs Baseball and Chicago Bears Football.  Ted and Janet especially enjoyed traveling.  They visited all 50 states, and also traveled extensively outside the U.S.

In 1971, they celebrated their second anniversary with their first trip to Europe, spending six weeks visiting most of the countries in Western Europe.  They eventually visited Africa on several trips, most memorable being a two-week safari.  In Asia, they visited China and then later, Cambodia, where they spent several days at Angkor Wat.  They spent two weeks in India and enjoyed the Taj Mahal, and they were able to travel on to Nepal. In 2007, they went to Peru and walked through Machu Picchu and later were thrilled to fly over the Nazca Lines in Southern Peru.  In 2019 on their 50 ^th anniversary, they traveled 3 countries where they had never visited, one was Israel, where they toured the country and biblical sights with a group from Shasta Bible College in California. Next, they went to Greece on their own and ended the year on the Amazon River.

Surviving is his loving wife of 53 years, Janet; and a brother, David (Patti) Vesa of El Reno, OK.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Timothy Vesa and a sister, Carol Vesa.

The funeral service is 10:00 a.m. Tuesday August 23, 2022 at Smith & Sons Funeral Home.  Burial is at Oakwood Cemetery in Warsaw.  Visitation is from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, August 22, 2022 at the funeral home.

Memorials in Ted's honor are to Oak Park Church or Grace Village Health Care Facility.

Condolences may be sent to www.smithandsonsfuneralhome.com