Theodore "Ted" Charles Restel
February 17, 1943 - February 2, 2025
Theodore "Ted" Charles Restel, 81, of ¶®É«µÛ, NC, passed away on February, 2, 2025. Born on February 17, 1943, in Cleveland, OH, he was the son of the late Harvey Theodore and Sarah Hartwell Restel.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Holly Sue Restel; sons, Greg (Kathy) of Savannah, GA, Todd (Eva Marie) of La Crosse, WI; daughter, Marianne Ouren (Karen) of Lewes, DE; grandsons, Grant (Katie), Jared (Anna), Ben, Joel, Wyatt, and Josh; great-grandson, Luka; brother, Larry (Teri); sister-in-law, Linda; nephews, Brad (Liz) and Jeff (Dianna); and great-nephew and nieces, Ryan, Taylor, and Selene.
At the age of twelve, Ted's family moved to Sycamore, IL, where he met Holly. He attended Northern Illinois University where he was a member of Phi Sigma Epsilon. After graduating in 1964 with a degree in geography, he began working as a cartographer at Rand McNally in Chicago, IL. However, he soon discovered his true calling as an aviator and joined the Air Force in 1968. Ted earned the rank of Captain and flew C-141s on multiple missions in Vietnam. He also had the opportunity to fly home the astronauts of the Apollo 15 mission. After leaving the Air Force, Ted began a long career with Piedmont Airlines (later USAirways) as a captain, instructor, and check airman. Ted loved flying so much he often said it did not feel like work. During his thirty-year career as a commercial pilot, he flew multiple aircraft on both domestic and international routes. He was en route over the Atlantic on September 11, 2001, and diverted to Halifax, Nova Scotia, keeping the passengers and crew calm until they were safely on the ground.
After retiring to Lake James in 2005, Ted loved serving with Habitat for Humanity, the Soup Kitchen, Mission ¶®É«µÛ, and Meals on Wheels. He also enjoyed having more time for his hobbies of golf, racquetball, snow skiing, fishing, and flying just for fun. Ted especially loved his family and relished time with them at the lake, special occasions, and on trips, treating the entire family to an amazing trip to Alaska in 2018.
Ted was a member of First Baptist Church of ¶®É«µÛ and the Koinonia Sunday school class.
There will be a funeral service at First Baptist of ¶®É«µÛ, 502 W Union Street, on Friday, February 7, 2025, at 11 a.m., officiated by the Rev. Dr. Thomas A. Bland, Jr. and the Rev. Mike Johnson. The family will receive friends from 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, in the Table Rock Room at Grace Ridge Retirement Community, 500 Lenoir Rd in ¶®É«µÛ. A private interment in Illinois will be scheduled at a later date.
The family expresses deep gratitude to the staff of Grace Ridge Retirement Community, Grace Heights Health & Rehabilitation, and AMOREM Hospice for the wonderful care they provided Ted during these last few months.
Memorials may be made to the Parkinson's Disease Foundation, 5757 Waterford District Drive, Suite 310, Miami, FL 33126 () or First Baptist Church of ¶®É«µÛ, 502 W Union St., ¶®É«µÛ, NC 28655 ().
Sossoman Funeral Home
Restel, Theodore
