1938
Theodore
2017
Theodore DeFeo Jr.
July 5, 1938 — June 26, 2017
Theodore Carl DeFeo, Jr. M.D. passed away on June 26, 2017 at the age of 78 in Overland Park, Kansas. He came into the world on July 5, 1938 alongside his identical twin, Thomas Charles DeFeo, M.D. of Denver, to his predeceased parents, Theodore Carl DeFeo, Sr. and Mary Pedacreda DeFeo.
Ted is survived by the love of his life, Linda Rae DeFeo, with whom he spent 35 years. The couple traveled all over the world together on underwater photography expeditions. In the early 1990s, they fell in love with the country and the people of the Solomon Islands. They spent more than ten years diving its beautiful waters and capturing the art in its underwater life. Ted was known for jumping into canoes to serve as a local doctor if needed. His constant love of research and exploration led him to discover new animals such as the Christmas Tree Anemone that he believed was a Coralomorpharian. His nickname for Linda was so endearing that when a new reef was discovered, it was named after her - "Baby Cakes Reef". Ted was known for his deep, never ending love for Linda and could be heard describing their relationship as the gobi and the shrimp, a perfect symbiotic pair.
Ted began to combine his loves of marine life and photography in 1975 when he became a certified diver and spent much time researching camera equipment as well as techniques used by the few practicing underwater photographers. Most of his knowledge resulted from self-study and from building and modifying various aspects of his camera systems.
A quiet spirit, Ted was a voracious reader and could be found reading many books at once in search of the truth on all topics scientific, medical, spiritual and historical. Ted truly loved to discuss and debate current events. The combination of his intellectual hunger and life of travel opened his heart to all nationalities, races and religions. Even though he was a world traveler, Kansas City and its people repeatedly confirmed his pride in being from this great city, the home of his beloved Royals, and from the heartland of the country.
Ted's science focused education culminated in an M.D. from the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Missouri. He completed both an internship and a residency program in Pathology at St. Luke's Hospital and earned a specialist degree in Oncology Pathology. Ted served as a doctor for 30 years, first as a surgeon in the United States Public Health Service in Staten Island, NY from 1969 to 1971. He then returned to Kansas City in 1971 as a Pathologist for St. Luke's Hospital.
Ted is survived by his wife, Linda; daughter, Angela (Richard) Dalton; son, James (Victoria) DeFeo; daughter, Gina (Brian) Kastner; grandchildren, Charlie, Eva, Seraphina, Kate, Nicholas, Lauren, William, Ian and Ben; brother, Tom (Lowell) DeFeo.
Ted is survived by the love of his life, Linda Rae DeFeo, with whom he spent 35 years. The couple traveled all over the world together on underwater photography expeditions. In the early 1990s, they fell in love with the country and the people of the Solomon Islands. They spent more than ten years diving its beautiful waters and capturing the art in its underwater life. Ted was known for jumping into canoes to serve as a local doctor if needed. His constant love of research and exploration led him to discover new animals such as the Christmas Tree Anemone that he believed was a Coralomorpharian. His nickname for Linda was so endearing that when a new reef was discovered, it was named after her - "Baby Cakes Reef". Ted was known for his deep, never ending love for Linda and could be heard describing their relationship as the gobi and the shrimp, a perfect symbiotic pair.
Ted began to combine his loves of marine life and photography in 1975 when he became a certified diver and spent much time researching camera equipment as well as techniques used by the few practicing underwater photographers. Most of his knowledge resulted from self-study and from building and modifying various aspects of his camera systems.
A quiet spirit, Ted was a voracious reader and could be found reading many books at once in search of the truth on all topics scientific, medical, spiritual and historical. Ted truly loved to discuss and debate current events. The combination of his intellectual hunger and life of travel opened his heart to all nationalities, races and religions. Even though he was a world traveler, Kansas City and its people repeatedly confirmed his pride in being from this great city, the home of his beloved Royals, and from the heartland of the country.
Ted's science focused education culminated in an M.D. from the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Missouri. He completed both an internship and a residency program in Pathology at St. Luke's Hospital and earned a specialist degree in Oncology Pathology. Ted served as a doctor for 30 years, first as a surgeon in the United States Public Health Service in Staten Island, NY from 1969 to 1971. He then returned to Kansas City in 1971 as a Pathologist for St. Luke's Hospital.
Ted is survived by his wife, Linda; daughter, Angela (Richard) Dalton; son, James (Victoria) DeFeo; daughter, Gina (Brian) Kastner; grandchildren, Charlie, Eva, Seraphina, Kate, Nicholas, Lauren, William, Ian and Ben; brother, Tom (Lowell) DeFeo.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Theodore DeFeo Jr., please visit our flower store.