Theodore Mowry

Growing up in Rome Ted had a passion for participating in drum and bugle Corps, water and snow skiing and was an aviation enthusiast inspired early in life by his mother taking the kids to Griffiss Air Force Base to eat ice cream and watch the planes take off and land. He attended Rome Free Academy and was in the class of 1966.

As a young boy, he was always fixing or building something - one of his fondest childhood memories is with his uncle Charlie building a go-kart, which he loved to “fly down” the alleyways to Grandma's house.

On July 26, 1980, Ted married his beloved Cathy Turner. They shared an extremely close relationship and were together virtually 24 hours, 7 days a week, for over 45 years. Ted and Cathy were devoted to one another and shared a beautiful love that sustained them to the very end. Cathy lovingly cared for Ted and was at his side when he peacefully passed.

Ted had a special knack for sales and enjoyed being an outside sales rep for Hardware Distributors and later Wholesale Plumbing. It was at this time that he bought his first fixer upper and soon realized it was probably easier to build from the ground up. Having a natural talent for drawing and design, he found his niche, becoming a true master builder. While not building a great number of homes, it suited his lifestyle to design and build at his own pace allowing he and Cathy to return to New York over the course of two decades, twice a year, to visit with his father and tackle the sometimes extensive “to-do” list. Ted was sure dad started a new list the moment he pulled out of the driveway to head home to his beloved Arkansas - which he deemed as the “best kept secret”.

Ted was a perfectionist and unwavering on any project he was working on, often to the dismay of others. However, when completed no one ever doubted if he had made the right decision! For Ted, everything had to be unique - the mere ordinary was out of the question.

Ted was a Good Samaritan and the first one to lend a hand to someone in need. He was especially known for his random acts of kindness. Ted helped maintain the church grounds, and readily participated in the maintenance of the Episcopal parish out of his kindness and without charge. Ted was a believer in God and a gentle soul.

A big practical joker with a great sense of humor, Ted was always up to something and would relentlessly tease his sister Lois Campo of Port Leyden, New York and Georgianna Morey of Middletown, Delaware. He loved them dearly.

The simplest of moments were his happiest, sitting outside enjoying a cup of coffee or glass of iced tea, listening to his favorite music on Pandora with Cathy at his side and their fur babies – Snuggles, Sugar bear and Trixie at his feet. Ted had a deep love for animals, especially his beautiful Shelties.

Ted was funny, kind, generous, caring and thoughtful. The hole left in our hearts, can only be filled with the warm happy memories Ted has left us with.

Everyone you meet leaves an imprint on you. By the end of your life, that imprint has shaped Who You Are and what life you lived.

Please visit the link provided to see Ted's memorial video:

https://youtu.be/OkGAvao1Ugc

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grossfuneralhome.com for the Mowry family.