"Just learned of Ted?s passing. Our deepest sympathies to Joan & family. We are saddened, yet rejoice knowing he is in the arms of our Savior. He was such a big fan of Rush as well, and now maybe they?re together!"
Thaddeus Raymond Edel, 81, of Ash Fork, Arizona passed away on July 23rd, 2020. He was surrounded in love and admiration by his wife and family.
Ted is preceded in death by his four children from the womb--Bernard, Andrew, Baby JT and Michelle. His parents, Raymond and Frances Edel, brother Phillip Edel, daughter-in-law, Gwen Edel, his granddaughter Amanda K. Edel and his great-grandson, Fistan Edwards.
He was born to parents Raymond and Frances Edel on December 8th, 1938 in Chicago, Illinois. As a toddler, his family moved back to their home-town of Manistee, Michigan. Ted enlisted in the US Navy as a "Sea Bee" and served his country for four years. Ted continued his service in the Navy Reserve for two years. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus from 1978-2020 and was committed to his order as a Benedictine Oblate.
As a young serviceman, he took the hand of his beautiful wife, Joan Karas, of Free Soil, Michigan. They would have been married 61 years on July 25th, 2020. Together they grew a beautiful family of eight children. During Ted's life, his greatest love and dedication were to God first and then his wife and his children.
He worked jobs to provide for his family until he reached his goal of having his own business, Edel Electric and Solar Systems. He was offered a job in the early 80's with WL Gore and Associates which moved his family to Arizona. Ted excelled at such a capacity that the work and machinery he designed, evolved into fabrications that are still used today in the medical arena. He was given the opportunity to oversee his newborn granddaughter receiving a heart patch because of his role in designing the machinery to fabricate the material used in her procedure. He was also the architect of the machinery used to create wires used in heart defibrillators--still today. Ted was blessed with mind blowing intelligence. He was known for his love for country music--Don Williams being one of his favorites. However, Don could not hold a candle to the musical talent of his wife and children, at least in Ted's eyes. What great joy he had in listening to his family's music. Work was pleasure to Ted! Fixing, manufacturing, building, creating, anything and everything his strong hands could touch. He loved to travel around the country seeing his kids, family and friends.
Ted leaves us for now, with the foundation he built under his family. To love God, to be faithful in our Catholic faith and through every day, to just "Keep on, Keeping on."
Surviving are his wife Joan Karas Edel of Ash Fork, AZ, his brother Daniel Edel and his wife Melissa of Flagstaff, AZ, his son, Eugene Edel and his wife Sharon of Doylestown,OH, his son Jim Edel and his wife Kelly of Portage, MI, daughter Mary Edel of Williams, AZ, daughter Julie Carrick and her husband Kurt, of Scottsdale, AZ, daughter, Patricia Cease of Pittsburgh, PA, daughter Lori Mandt and her husband Dan Hernandez of Vancouver, WA, son John Edel and his wife Lisa of Lecanto, FL and daughter Alexandria Edel of Ash Fork, AZ.
Ted was blessed with and adored by 22 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren. He was known to them as: Papa Ted, Gramps, Pop, Grandpa, Gpa and actually as the Real Santa Clause!
A funeral Mass will be held on Friday, August 7th at 1:00pm. A Rosary will take place prior to Mass at 12:30pm, San Francisco De Asis Catholic Church, 1600 East Route 66, Flagstaff, Arizona.
"Goodbye for Now", Thaddeus Raymond Edel
"Just learned of Ted?s passing. Our deepest sympathies to Joan & family. We are saddened, yet rejoice knowing he is in the arms of our Savior. He was such a big fan of Rush as well, and now maybe they?re together!"
"KEEP the FAITH"
"The family has written a beautiful tribute to their father. Their love and admiration for him is very dear. It's been our privilege to have his daughter, Lori, in our lives. She exemplifies the giving and loving qualities of her father. God keep Ted's family. "
"He was a very humble man. I love this family. Cindy McNamara "