Theodore Clarence Wirtz

Dad, Theodore Clarence Wirtz was a wonderful, loving, happy, man.  He was born to Mary Louise Wirtz (nee Jorn) and Arthur F. Wirtz on July 1st, 1938 in the city of Orange, California.  Dad always made sure that our grandparents were a part of our family's holidays and other events.  We visited them every Sunday until they passed away.

Dad was a very loving and affectionate husband.  He married Mom, Jayne Elizabeth Wirtz (nee Chapman) on February 7th, 1958.  Dad loved Mom so very much. He would bring her flowers just because he knew she liked them!  He was by her side throughout their fifty-eight-year marriage.  He was never the same after her death on March 23rd, 2016. 

Dad was an excellent father to his son Paul David Wirtz and his daughter, Joanne Lee Wirtz (me).  He was a strong disciplinarian but always fair.  He listened to us and gave us a chance to explain our side of things.  There was never any doubt about how much he loved us.  He welcomed Kristi Grey into the family over twenty-five years ago as Paul's significant other.

Dad was a reliable and intelligent worker.  He worked for Pacific Telephone and Telegraph (which later became Pac Bell) for over thirty-four years in the engineering department.  He had a strong part in creating the optical fiber system used in the beginning of California's Lottery to connect all the machines together.  Dad also worked for over seventeen years for The Tall Mouse Arts and Crafts stores.  He wrote special programs to meet the requirements to get that store up and running on computers.

In October 2019, Dad was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, a form of bone marrow cancer.  From the very beginning, Dad knew the prognosis was grim.  This condition had no cure and was fatal.  All the chemotherapy, red blood cell transfusions, platelet transfusions and other treatments gave him several more months to be with his family and friends.  He never got sick from the chemo or had any pain that Tylenol would not quell. 

Dad knew he was Heaven bound.  He said it was like he was on a bridge.  He was looking forward to where he was going.  He had no need to look back.  On August 12, 2020, from his home in Yorba Linda, Dad peacefully and painlessly walked off that bridge and into Jesus's arms.  I know he was welcomed with the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  (See Matthew 25). He is now reunited with Mom for eternity!

Dad was known affectionately as "Tall Ted" to many, many people.  His Celebration of life memorial is tentatively being planned for Saturday, September 26th at 3:30 in the afternoon at Southlands Church in Brea, CA. Because of the Covid-19 social distancing guidelines, we are restricted to only 100 guests and please be sure to wear a mask. The service is to be held inside and the chairs need to appropriately spaced.  Seats will be placed in family/friend groups. This means that we need to know ahead of time who is coming.  Please contact me (Joanne) at 714-363-8441 so we can set things up.

We ask please no flowers.  In lieu of flowers, please consider remembering him in a financial way.  His church was always there to help him in various ways so we ask that donations be made to the Southlands Benevolence fund in his name. (The benevolence fund serves the poor and underprivileged in the local area.) Donations can be sent to Southlands Brea, (https://southlands.net) with a notation of "In memory of Ted Wirtz" or similar words.  Thank you.