Theodore (Ted) M. Myers, Jr.

Ted Myers
Theodore (Ted) M. Myers, Jr. passed away peacefully at age 99 on May 25, 2018 at Morningstar
Care Home in Fredonia, where he had resided since December, 2017. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held on Friday, July 6 at 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Fredonia. A reception will be hosted by the family immediately following the service. If desired, the family suggests donations in Ted's memory be made to the church for their community outreach programs.
Ted was born on April 15, 1919 at the family farm near Lafontaine, KS. He was the eldest of four children born to Theodore and Marie (Fryer) Myers. He attended Belleview School and then went on to graduate as salutatorian from Lafontaine High School in 1937. He liked to tell stories about walking or sometimes riding a horse in all kinds of weather to his country school, as did many of his generation who grew up in rural Wilson County. He was recognized as the oldest living graduate attending the 2017 Lafontaine school reunion and still had copies of his junior and senior yearbooks.
After high school graduation, Ted had the opportunity to attend college but opted to stay on the farm and work with his father raising crops and cattle. In later years when his own daughters were teenagers, he shared that he sometimes regretted not getting a college education and encouraged them to do so. He was pleased and proud to attend university graduation ceremonies for both of his daughters and in more recent years for his grandchildren.
In 1948, Ted was hired as the Wilson County Farm Bureau agent and opened the first office in Fredonia; operating the agency for 22 years. During those years, he was active in the agents professional association and also continued to farm part-time with his father. Ted became very involved within the community and served in a leadership role for numerous organizations, including the Fredonia Jaycees, Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and the Wilson County Fair Association.
Still a bachelor, Ted ate many of his meals in the restaurants around town. As the story goes, he started frequenting "Ray's Lunch" on the east side of the square because he liked the hamburgers, but was also interested in one of the waitresses, Ray's daughter! Ted married Shirley Rae Beard Graham on December 27, 1953 at the First Methodist Church in Fredonia and they were married for 52 years prior to Shirley's death. After their marriage, Ted adopted Shirley's daughter from her first marriage and their second daughter was born two years later.
In 1970, after many happy and productive years living in Fredonia, Ted and Shirley took a leap of faith and moved to Grand Lake, 01< to help Shirley's parents operate their lake resort. Within a few years they had purchased the resort and were running it on their own. Both Ted and Shirley found time to once again get involved with community service in their new locale. They

spent countless hours volunteering for the Grand Lake Association, Inc. and Ted served as president of the board of directors. He was named "Grand Laker of the Year" in 1986, the highest honor given by the association. They were also active in the Ketchum United Methodist Church, where Ted served as chairman of the board of trustees. Ted was also a member of the Masonic Lodge in Afton, OK and later transferred his membership to the lodge in Fredonia.
After Shirley's death in 2006, Ted sold the property on Grand Lake and moved back "home" to Fredonia, to finally retire in the brick house on 11t h street that he and Shirley bought in 1958 and kept as a rental when they moved to the lake. Ted was happy to be living full-time in Fredonia again and quickly transferred his membership back to the United Methodist Church, serving for a short time on their board of trustees and attending the regular Methodist Men's breakfasts. He was an avid reader and made frequent visits to the local library; he also enjoyed "coffee hour" at the Western Diner, biscuits and gravy at the senior center, visiting with his neighbors, mowing his own lawn and taking long drives in the country.
Ted is survived by his two daughters: Diana Milne (Arlen) of Kansas City, MO; and
Debra Hutchinson of Arvada, CO; sister, Florence Crossfield of Oklahoma City, OK; brother, Don Myers (Mary) of Derby, KS; grandchildren; Marigny Beilman (Sean) of Arvada, CO; Taylor Hutchinson of Denver, CO; Kelsie Porter (Tyler) of Westminster, CO; step-grandchildren; Christy Milne (Eric Johnson) of Denver, CO; Josh Milne (Natalie) of Smithville, MO; and great­ grandchildren; Carter Beilman, Davis Beilman, Brinley Milne and Beckett Milne. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews. In addition to his wife, Ted was predeceased by his parents, his sister and brother-in-law, Ethel and Manuel Penn and brother-in-law, Bill Crossfield.