Theodore Fredericks' Obituary
Theodore “Ted” Fredericks, 92, died peacefully on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, in Annapolis, MD. Ted was born on May 12, 1931, to Thomas Crawford Fredericks and Mary Elizabeth Dougherty. He and his six siblings — Mary, Thomas, Patricia, Harry, Dorothy, and Eileen — grew up in Philadelphia, PA.
Ted served in the military during the Korean war and was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska. As soon as he returned home, Ted was introduced to Shirley Skepton by mutual friends. After that first date, Ted continued to drive an hour into the country every weekend to visit Shirley. He often reminisced about the long walks they took, how they shared similar values, and that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
On February 12, 1955, just 6 months after they met, Ted married Shirley. Together they raised two daughters, Lorraine and Theresa, first in Philadelphia and eventually in Willingboro, NJ, where they resided for over 40 years.
Ted worked in the accounting department at Anchor Packing Company in Philadelphia for over 30 years. In 2014, he and Shirley moved to the senior living community Gardens of Annapolis in Maryland. They were married for 66 years until Shirley’s passing in July of 2021.
Ted was a charismatic man whose affable personality charmed people of all ages. He enjoyed debating the issues of the day and cared deeply about equity and justice. He generously supported many causes, including environmental protection, civil rights, the ERA, and women's health issues.
Ted had a particular talent for connecting with young people. His competitive spirit and love of playing games, from chess to Yahtzee and everything in between, helped him form close bonds with his four grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He and Shirley are credited with teaching three generations of family members card games like blackjack, hearts, and pinochle. In the Fredericks house, if your hands were big enough to clutch a fan of cards you were granted a seat at the (poker) table.
Ted was a passionate Philadelphia sports fan and an avid spectator of all kinds of sports, from football to bowling. He was also deeply competitive and annoyingly great at nearly every game he played. Just last year, Ted took a hard fall during a round of golf with his grandson, Robert. Determined to finish the game, Ted shrugged off the pain of what later turned out to be a broken hand, completing 5 more holes and beating Rob in the process.
Sharp-witted until the end, Ted read the Washington Post cover-to-cover every morning (after consuming his prerequisite bowl of Corn Flakes). Days before he died, he was still playing (and winning at) chess. Written on the white board in his hospital room under a header that read “what is important to you” was one word: “family.”
Ted leaves his memory to be cherished by his daughters Lorraine Kelly and her husband Joe of Old Bridge, NJ, and Theresa Pierno and her husband Bob of Annapolis, MD; his grandchildren Julie and her husband Jay, Robert and his wife Jess, Ted, and Susan and her husband Mark; and his great-grandchildren Jack, Ryan, Bennett, Tella, Esmae, Sophie, and Henry; his siblings Patricia Snow and Dorothy Zukowski; as well as numerous other relatives, and beloved pets.
What’s your fondest memory of Theodore?
What’s a lesson you learned from Theodore?
Share a story where Theodore's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Theodore you’ll never forget.
How did Theodore make you smile?