Ted Ray LeBeau October 19, 1929 - October 19, 2020

On his 91st birthday, Ted Ray LeBeau passed to the other side. He was born October 19, 1929, in Roosevelt, Utah, to Joseph Adolphus LeBeau and Maude Eva Redden, who had eight children: Clarence, Bonita, Lavar, Ivan, Joseph, Calvin, Ted, and Gerold. Ted graduated from Roosevelt High School and afterward attended Utah State University, which at the time was called Utah State Agricultural College. Afterward, he joined the Utah Air National Guard and became a radio repairman.

During his service in the military, he met his beloved wife, Mary Murray. They were married June 16, 1951, in Salt Lake City. Shortly thereafter, he was activated into the Korean War and was sent to Clovis, New Mexico. In the following years, he returned to Utah and lived in Vernal and then Salt Lake, before he settled in Centerville, where he built a lovely home for his wife and four children: Ray, Sandra, Julie, and Paul. Ted was a wonderful father who cared deeply for his children. He always put their welfare ahead of his own and when Mary became aware that Sandra was deaf, he did not hesitate to move his family to a place where she could have the best opportunities available. He was a loving man.

Ted made a career working for Utah Power and Light as a supervisor. Thinking that he would stay in Centerville permanently, Ted was offered a position working at the hydroelectric dam at Olmstead in Provo Canyon in 1983. He accepted the offer, which required him to relocate closer to his new station. At that time, he found his home in Mapleton, and moved there with his wife, where he eventually retired and has lived ever since.

Ted and Mary spent much time, in their retirement, gardening and raising livestock at their home while also tending an orchard of mostly apples along with a variety of other fruits. The two were master gardeners and were often asked by local officials to assist in landscape design for public areas, locally.

Ted and Mary were active members in the LDS Church and lived their religion faithfully. The couple, with their children, were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on February 17, 1965. Ted served in various callings in the Church but spent most of church-related time in the Family History Library. Ted and Mary took genealogy very seriously and made it their duty to ensure that their entire family knew the rich heritage from which they came. This passion for genealogy caught up to Ted and Mary when they were called to a Family History Mission in Salt Lake City in 1999. Ted is a descendant of truly remarkable people, who took great advantage of the opportunity this great nation provides. His love of his ancestors is directly responsible for his own patriotism, of which he was never ashamed. His love of God and of his country are his defining attributes and through those, he was able to become a wonderful influence on his family, that he loved so dearly.

Ted is survived by his children: Ted Ray (Sheri) LeBeau II, Julie (Arvin) Black, and Paul LeBeau; his grandchildren: Amber (Samiuela) Lutui, Lee (Atia) Black, Ted Ray LeBeau III (Samantha), Sammi Janette LeBeau, Dustin (Heather) Black, Garrett (Katie) Black, Cody (Amber) LeBeau, Casey LeBeau, Matthew (Elizabeth) Black, Logan (Stephanie) Black, and Maddison (Marion) Dockstader; his great-grandchildren: Amethyst, Sheri, Jonah, Tava, Xavi, Auri, Norah, Price, Segolily, Ted, Vilate, Sterling, EllieMae, Jensen, Walter, Adrienne, Wyatt, Lily, Lydia, Marlow, and Jade. He is preceded in death by his father, Joseph (’62); mother, Maude (’57); sisters: Boneta (’97) and Lavar (’06); brothers: Clarence (’83), Ivan (’80), Joseph (’03), Calvin (’98), and Gerold (’19); wife, Mary(’05); and daughter, Sandra (’98).

In the last years of his mortal life, Ted spent much of his time in his beloved home and on his land, tending to his gardens, apple trees, animals, and in the garage building and fixing for anyone who had a project. He missed his eternal love, Mary, since her earthly departure nearly 15 years previously. Though he often spoke about how much he missed her and his desire to be reunited with her, he committed to living his life joyfully to serve the Lord and to connect with his family. One of his most well-loved attributes was his ability to make each person in his family feel like they were his favorite person. He loved each person like they were his only child, grandchild, or great-grandchild. He loved every child’s and grandchild’s spouse like they were born into his family. In recent years he could often be found with them sharing stories, talking politics, dining out at some of his favorite spots (like Sizzler or the Midvale Mining Company), shooting guns, riding shotgun in a side-by side, and making dutch oven meals, at birthday and holiday parties, at baseball games and school plays. There was even one great adventure in Maui. Even in his last few hours in this life, he did many of these things, including celebrating at his 91st birthday party with his loved ones, where he was sung to, ate some birthday cake, and held hands while he looked into the eyes of his posterity and expressed his genuine gratitude and love for every single one of them.

Visitation will be Friday, October 23, 2020 from 6-8 p.m. at Walker Funeral Home, 187 South Main Street, Spanish Fork, Utah 84660. Graveside services will be held at the Vernal City Cemetery, 1700 S 500 E, Vernal, UT 84078, on Saturday, October 24, 2020, at 1:00 p.m.