Ted Rosner

Ted, the youngest of thirteen, was born in 1944 to Clarence and Tillie Rosner in St. Louis, Missouri. His childhood was challenging, but Ted learned early on to balance those challenges with determination, hard work, charm, humor, and mischief - lots of mischief. Working from an early age, he started as a grocery bagger and worked his way up to vice president within the retail grocery field, taking time for college courses in math and business from the University of Missouri.

It was during those early grocery bagging days that he met the love of his life, Chrislyn, and after their first date they knew they had found their soulmate in each other. Ted and Chris married in 1967 and shortly after Ted went to Vietnam. Though separated, their love and commitment to each other grew. Their letters held hope and love and dreams of the life they would build together once he was home. After Vietnam, they started their family, having three children; Claudia, T.J., and Michael - and built dreams together as they moved from Missouri to Ohio and eventually back to Missouri. They always worked as a team. Ted traveled often for work, but they took time to raise a family, build life-long friends, and take adventures camping in Colorado or Table Rock, four-wheeling in some random creek along the highway, berry-picking, or boating on Lake Erie or Smithville Lake. Their 56 years together were full of laughter, loudness, tears, loss, stress, love, forgiveness, and spirit, but was never dull. Ted made connections wherever he went. Their circle of family and friends always had room for one more. The last thirty years were spent in Kansas City, Missouri where their lives transitioned to their children's weddings and grandchildren: Caitlin, Hannah, Grace, Sofia, and Brock. Ted loved his role as Grandpa and slid into the fun and humor and silliness effortlessly. His world opened up to "happy bugs," backyard bbqs, WaffleHouse, tiny fishing poles, throwing rolls, summertime s'mores, and stories. Together they watched their grandchildren grow and there was nothing he wouldn't do for them.

Ted proudly served his country in the Army as a 1st Lieutenant in Vietnam. He was a decorated soldier, receiving the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal, two Purple Hearts, and two Bronze Star Medals. He accepted his decorations with honor, but he would tell you his proudest achievement was not losing a single man under his command.

Ted was incredibly intelligent, curious, and a quick-thinker in all areas of his life. He could launch a boat blindfolded or fix anything with whatever items he had on hand - a zip cord, clothes hanger, or a random piece of cardboard. His ingenuity amazed and impressed those around him as did the creativity of the story he would tell afterwards.

Fishing was Ted's first love. There wasn't a lure he didn't know or a body of water he wouldn't drop line. His passion originated from his father and he passed that knowledge and love to his sons. Though an avid outdoorsman in hunting, camping, and gardening, fishing was his longest love and spilled naturally into his innate ability to spin a story with no story being told the same way twice.

The void left behind with Ted's passing will never be filled. He was larger than life, lived fully, and shared that life with so many as a husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. Ted was generous, funny, wise, intelligent, and with his passing the world will be a quieter place.

A visitation for Ted will be held Thursday, November 2, 2023 from 10 to12pm at McGilley Antioch Chapel, 3325 Northeast Vivion Road, Kansas City, MO 64119. Following the visitation will be a committal service from 1:30pm at Leavenworth National Cemetery, 150 Muncie Rd, Leavenworth, KS 66048.