Ted was the Patriarch of our large- blended family and is survived by his beloved wife, Elizabeth Jayne Williams (Betsy), Tifany R. Rockett (Kerry), Theodore R. Williams III, Teddy (Tiffany), Michelle L. McCollum and Melanie A. Zouiten (Ahmed),his grandchildren, Tylor Rockett, Tavien Rockett, Kaziah Rockett, Amari Williams, Suri Williams, Asher (Ty) Williams, Victoria Lugo (Daniel), Cruz Abeyta, Lauren Cabrera, Omar Zouiten, Salma Zouiten, Meryem Zouiten, Zaynab Zouiten and Ali Solomon Zouiten, and 5 great grand children, Elijah, Gabriel, Ayden, Jackson and Christian, his sisters Theola M. Joseph and Franco C. Williams, 1 niece Tammy Joseph-Harris (Tracy) and 2 nephews, Hermon C Joseph Jr. and Marlon L. Joseph and 5 great nephews and 4 great nieces. If anyone of these children or family contacted Ted for any reason, no matter what time of night, he would drop whatever he was doing to be there for them.
Ted worked hard at everything he did. After graduating from high school, Ted was awarded a scholarship to attend college at the University of Northern Colorado. He thereafter became an English teacher at Manual High school because teaching others was extremely near and dear to his heart. He later became a successful corporate businessman but never directed undue attention to himself. He had a long successful career in Diversity Management making sure that individual differences were respected in the workplace. His efforts in making sure that equal opportunity was initiated and practiced in all areas of corporate levels of such entities as US West, Qwest, Banks and Lending Institutions were well respected. He worked with the disabled and he also taught Diversity Training in educational institutions across the nation. After retiring from this area of expertise he became involved in real estate sales and spent the last 15 years in this area of expertise in which he enjoyed immensely. In the last two years Ted took a job working for the Cherry Creek School District. He delighted in being a transportation assistant for “special needs students” which was right up his alley and dear to his heart. Every day he came home with a new story about a different little person with their own special needs on his route. He loved these little children and they loved Mr. Ted.
Ted’s finest accomplishment, however, was his years of serving his God Jehovah. He was baptized on June 9th, 1962 and there are hundreds that will share how Ted helped them on their own journey of making the truth their own and staying on the narrow road to life. He never lost patience for anyone that was struggling. For the last 20 years he conducted hundreds of Bible studies at the Arapahoe County Jail system. Although Ted was one that never had a problem being the one to yield, that would never be a possibility when it came to his relationship with Jehovah. He had the privilege of servicing as an Elder for many years. He served on the Hospital Liaison Committee. Many of you will remember Ted being the Orchestra Conductor for many years at our assemblies and conventions. As a young boy, Ted was always conscious of his spiritual needs. His father would take Ted to the Baptist Church for the purpose of grooming and preparing Ted to be a Baptist preacher. Public speaking was natural for Ted and so when he recited the prayer in the church, members were impressed with his naturalness. But Ted had lots of questions to ask and the response he received from the church did not make sense to him because he was a deep thinker. Ted met a young witness boy at school (Bob Childress) and they would discuss spiritual things. Bob introduced Ted to his grandmother who started studying the Bible with Ted and answering his questions. As Ted continued to understand Bible truths and make progress, he dedicated his life to Jehovah and was baptized at age 16 and never looked back. He toted his two little sisters Theola and Franco holding their hands back and forth as they walked to the meetings and they serve Jehovah to this day.
If anyone knew Ted, you knew that he absolutely loved music, all kinds but especially jazz. He was equally and totally himself though at a cool jazz concert as well as a black-tie affair, symphony or opera. He loved books. The more he could absorb, the more he was satisfied. He enjoyed traveling and he and his wife had the privilege of attending 3 international assemblies as well as pursue many memorable trips. One such trip was a European last minute excursion taking only a backpack and small pully bag each. They would take eurail transportation sources across Europe without any real destination in mind. By the end of this 3 week trip his pully bag was still intact so he named it “the man”. His wife’s ended up limping on 2 wheels so he named hers “the weaker vessel”.
Everyone loved Ted and Ted loved everyone. He had time for everyone. He was warm and approachable and who will ever forget that soft beautiful velvet voice of reassurance and his big bear hugs. He found it easy to forgive and never had a bad thing to say about anyone. As one brother, a dear friend said. “Ted was the epitome of what a good man should be. In the 50+ years I knew him, I never saw him disparage or act unkindly towards anyone. He may not have been perfect, but I would not be able to list a single fault and I’m sure very few could.”
A few days before Ted had to be admitted to the hospital for Covid-19, his wife, Betsy, said she felt compelled to write him a letter. She relays in part, “In all actuality, I want you to know something. The best lesson I have learned in life about love has come from you. I sometimes question if I will ever quite understand what to think about your stability, your inner strength, your calm, your deep love for Jehovah, your natural characteristics that make you so “different” from anyone I have ever known in such a good way. “Like our beautiful song says, Life like a mist appears for just a day and then disappears tomorrow. As we have gotten older and our mortality is uncertain, I want to make sure that feelings are not left unsaid. I will always be there for you. I hope that if Jehovah wills, we will always be there for and with each other either in this world or the paradise that awaits us.”
Ted didn’t get to see the end of this wicked system but he will see the paradise that awaits us thereafter. We will await that day to see our beloved Ted again as stated at Revelation 21:4 where Jehovah God promises us that “he will wipe out every tear from our eyes and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”