Obituary of Theodore Gerichten

Theodore C. von Gerichten Ted, 88, of Charlotte, NC died on June 6, 2011. He was born on September 28, 1922, in Columbus, Ohio, son of the late Theo B. von Gerichten and Mabel Shelton von Gerichten. His late brother, Capt. Robert L. von Gerichten (U.S. Navy) and Matgaret, his wife, are both interred at Annapolis Naval Academy. Ted grew up in the ?German District? of Columbus, Ohio. His family were the proprietors of the ?von Gerichten Art Glass Studios, Inc.? Several Churches across the United States still revere their von Gerichten stained glass windows from the early 1900?s. Ted started his career with the military when he joined the Citizens Military Training Camp (CMTC) in high school. His experience earned him his scholarship to Ohio State where he joined the Reserve Officers Training Corps. (ROTC). After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he traveled through Europe with the 915th Field Artillery-90th Infantry Division, fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and later served in the Korean War as the Battery Commander of the 999 Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Division. A World War II veteran with a twenty seven year career in the US Army, he earned two purple hearts and a Bronze Star. He taught psychology and leadership at the West Point Military Academy, he served as the military advisor to the 2nd Division Imperial Iranian Army, when Iran was still a friendly ally and taught military history as an assistant professor at St. Peter?s College in New Jersey. After retiring from the Army, he worked as an IRS officer until he retired. Ted left New Jersey after forty six years, moving to Charlotte in 2010 to be with his daughter and her family. Ted leaves behind his son, William Hefti and his wife, Linda of Auburn, CA, daughter, Joanne Matthews and her husband, Gerald of Brielle, NJ, and daughter, Lisa Smith, wife of the late William Smith, Jr. of Charlotte, NC; seven grandchildren, Brenda, TaraJoy, Sherri, Gerald, Amanda, Jason and William (Billy); and five great-grandchildren, Jordan, Chandler, Grace, Molly and Devlin. Funeral service will be held at 12:00 noon on Thursday, June 9, 2011 in the chapel of Hankins & Whittington Funeral service, 1111 East Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28203 with Reverend Ray Rippy, officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday for one hour prior to the service. Ted will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia with full military honors. He will rejoin his late wife, Dolores, who has been saving his ?spot? in Section 60 since 1996. May he rest in peace.