Ted was a young intern at Vancouver General Hospital in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where he met Tricia, a nursing student. They married in 1958.

What followed is an amazing story of commitment to family and community. Tricia, the youngest and only daughter of four children, was born and raised in a small town on Vancouver Island where her father was the superintendent of the local lumber mill. Ted came from Champaign, IL, where his father was a professor of economics at the University of Illinois. The importance of community was foundational to their upbringing.

Shortly after marrying, Ted and Tricia moved to Georgia, where Ted served as a flight surgeon in the United States Air Force. Next, they were off to Denver, where Ted completed his surgical residency and established his own practice in general surgery. Tricia worked as a surgical nurse at National Jewish Hospital and volunteered at the Molly Brown House Museum.

Then the unexpected happened...

Jim Austin (Montrose city manager), Steve Scott (Montrose Memorial Hospital administrator), and Robert Schmidt (Montrose school superintendent) showed up to recruit Ted to join the hospital staff in Montrose. In the spirit of enthusiasm, openness to change, and with a natural leaning toward curiosity and courage for adventure, they packed up and moved--five days later! The young family, which now included three daughters, Heather, Jennie and Karen, quickly settled into their new life in Montrose.

A significant piece of the recruitment was the expectation that Ted become an integral part of the community to help Montrose continue to grow as a thriving community. And so, it began.

Ted’s community resume is impressive. It included the Rotary Club, Montrose Community Foundation, founder of the Montrose Academic Booster Club, Montrose Woodworkers Guild, numerous Montrose Memorial Hospital committees, and Daily Press medical columnist, to name a few. He founded the Montrose Academic Booster Club and co-founded the Montrose Forum. He lived commitment to community service by example, continually encouraging others to embrace that same commitment.

Tricia’s resume is equally impressive. She filled in as a surgical nurse at the hospital, was a county health nurse and a cofounder of the first home health business in Montrose and was a consultant and instructor to providers and counselors with Community Options.

But it didn’t stop there for Tricia. Her community involvement also included starting the Montrose Arts Council, appointment to the first city planning commission, election to the city council in 1988, and serving as Montrose mayor for three terms. In 2018 she received a life achievement award as a Montrose “Woman of Distinction.” She also cut the ribbon for the opening of the Montrose Pavilion and was a member of the Valley Symphony Women’s Auxiliary.

And one other combined and notable resume item: Ted and Tricia became part of the elite group of Valley Symphony Association (VSA) founders in the late 1970s. Ted’s love of classical music nurtured Tricia’s, and it resulted in their decades-long commitment to supporting the VSA, She quite proudly describes the VSA as belonging to the regional community. “It’s ours—and it’s damn good!”

With vivaciousness and life-loving spirit, Ted and Tricia lived their community commitment to the fullest. Ted passed unexpectedly in 2012; Tricia continues to enjoy attending concerts. The VSA is grateful for their role as founders.