Ted Spidel

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Local businessman and farmer, Theodore R. “Ted” Spidel, age 87, died Monday, January 23, 2017 at Lutheran Life Villages in Kendallville.  Mr. Spidel was born April 17, 1929 in Milford Township in LaGrange County, Indiana to the late Maynard Daniel Spidel and Gwendellyn Olivia (Smith) Spidel.  He graduated from Kendallville High School in the class of 1947 and attended Purdue University extension in Fort Wayne.  He married his high school sweetheart, Shirley Stephens, daughter of Orson and Marjorie (Graham) Stephens, on November 28, 1948 at the First Methodist Church in Kendallville.  Ted was a life member of the Kendallville Elks Lodge # 1194, Kendallville Masonic Lodge # 276, Fort Wayne Scottish Rite and Mizpah Shriners.  As a young man, he received his private pilot’s license and was proud of his vintage 1940 Luscombe that he owned. He worked at McCray Refrigeration, Kraft Foods, and International Harvester in Fort Wayne as a project manager, JI Case, Churubusco in sales and service management, JI Case, Racine, Wisconsin as assistant Vice President of sales, and Continental Motors, Muskegon, Michigan as a sales engineer. Following years of traveling with his job, Ted yearned to spend more time with his family.  They moved back to Kendallville and to the family farming operation, purchasing Kendallville Iron and Metal in 1964. The company’s small beginning expanded over the years into recycling and processing all scrap metals and a solid waste processing and transfer station.  The company now employs 27 employees, including three of his children and two grandchildren.  Ted retired from Kendallville Iron & Metal in 1991.  He never lost interest in farming and the new technologies of farm equipment that has changed planting and harvesting farm crops.  He delighted in watching the crops grow.  He also spent many enjoyable hours and years building model airplanes from balsa wood kits for his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to enjoy.  

Survivors include:
His wife of 68 years, Shirley Spidel of Kendallville.
Son, Gary and Debbie Spidel of Sylvan Lake, Rome City.
Son, Lynn and Deanna Spidel of Sylvan Lake, Rome City.
Daughter, Susan and Mark Norris of Kendallville.
Six grandchildren: Timothy and Heather Spidel of Carmel; Brandon Spidel of Indianapolis; Tiffany and Brian Berkey of Yorkville, Illinois; Jeremy and Amy Spidel of Kendallville; Krystal Wade of Tonganoxie, Kansas; and Brody and Alisha Norris of Fort Wayne.
Eight great grandchildren: Evan, Noah, and Shepard Spidel; Nicholas Berkey, Natalie and Ben Spidel, Jackson Wade, and Madilyn Norris expected to arrive in March.
Sister, Joy Krug of Kendallville.
Sister, Carolyn and Ralph Knott of Haines City, Florida.
Sisters-in-law, Gloria Spidel of Amarillo, Texas; and Reva Spidel of Tennessee. 
Brother-in-law, Philip Conklin of Indianapolis. 
He was also preceded in death by his brothers, Carroll in 1990 and Charles in 2010; sister, Evelyn Rowe in 2014; sisters-in-law, Lois Mory in 2015 and Betty Conklin 1967; brothers-in-law, Bob Mory in 1988 and Glenn Rowe in 2015.

Visitation will be held Thursday, January 26th from 2:00-7:00 PM at Hite Funeral Home, Kendallville, with Masonic services conducted at 6:45 PM by the Kendallville Lodge #276 F&AM.
Funeral services will be held Friday, January 27, 2017 at 10:00 AM at Hite Funeral Home with Rev. Ken Weaver officiating. There will be an hour of visitation prior to the funeral service.
Burial will take place at Lake View Cemetery in Kendallville.
Pallbearers will be Tim Spidel, Brandon Spidel, Jeremy Spidel, Brody Norris, Mark Norris, Doug Spidel, Brian Berkey, and Krystal Wade. Honorary bearers will be Tom Shellenbarger, Jerry Davis, and Phil Conklin.
Memorial donations may be made to the Cole Center Family YMCA of Kendallville or Shriners Hospital for Children, Chicago, Illinois.
Arrangements entrusted to Hite Funeral Home of Kendallville.
Share a memory or send a condolence at www.hitefuneralhome.com

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