Theodore "Ted" Seidl

Mr. Theodore “Ted” Seidl, 92 of Ruth, passed away Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at his residence under hospice care with his loving family by his side. He was born on August 11, 1923 in Ruth, MI to the late Peter and Katherine (Poell) Seidl. He married Carla A. Feldt on July 10, 1948 at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Ruth. She preceded him in death on October 27, 2013. Ted was a graduate of the Pumpkin Center Country School. He spent two years in the Merchant Marines working on submarines in San Francisco and sailing the Great Lakes. Ted was a lifelong farmer in Sherman Township where he was proud of many firsts. He was the first to have tiled land, the first to put up a pole barn for his cattle and was the first to use the surge touchless milking system on his farm. Ted also built his own house and farm buildings. He was a County Bean Commissioner and a Premier sugar beet grower. He was a parishioner at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church of Holy Apostle Parish in Ruth where he served as an usher. Ted was one of the charter members of the Ruth Knights of Columbus Council #3823 in 1954. Ted also served as the Grand Knight for the Ruth Council. He was a fourth degree member of the Knights of Columbus Bishop Babcock Assembly #0487 of Bad Axe. Ted loved to travel throughout the United States with his wife. He enjoyed Tiger baseball, woodworking, and various card games. Ted is survived by six daughters, Rustina “Rusty” Bourell of Ruth, Beth (Mark) Williams of Williamsburg, MI, Kerri Hartfield of Redford, Vicki Seidl of Grand Rapids, Trudi Seidl and Denise Seidl, both of Livonia; three sons: Peter (Kathleen) of Royal Oak, Wayne (Dawn) of Remus, Lester (Margaret) of Rochester Hills; 21 grandchildren; 28 great grandchildren; one daughter-in-law, Katherine Seidl of Oxford; three sisters-in-law, Annabell Seidl of Ruth, Marie Seidl of Huntington Woods, Muriel Prusinski of Grand Rapids. He was preceded in death by three sons, Steven, Roy and Phillip Seidl; one daughter-in-law, Lynn Seidl, one son-in-law, Joseph Bourell; 8 brothers, Frank, Andrew, Leo, Paul, John “Jack”, George, Anthony and Joseph Seidl; two sisters, Mary Edwards and Elizabeth Forton. Mass of Christian burial will be 10:30 am Saturday, December 12 at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church of Holy Apostle Parish in Ruth. Rev. Peter Nwokoye, pastor will officiate. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be at the Zinger-Smigielski Funeral Home in Ubly on Friday from 1:00-9:00 pm and Saturday at Sts. Peter & Paul Church from 9:30-10:30am. There will be a parish vigil service Friday afternoon at 4 pm and the Knights of Columbus will recite the rosary Friday evening at 7:00 pm. Both services will be at the funeral home. Memorials have been requested to Holy Apostle Parish or the Ruth Knights of Columbus Council #3823.