Theodore Joseph Tragesser

January 17, 1948 - March 19, 2022

Theodore (Ted) Joseph Tragesser peacefully passed away surrounded by his family on March 19, 2022 at Riverside Hospital in Kankakee, IL after his courageous battle against cancer. Born into this world January 17, 1948, the youngest of 12 children, on the family farm in Tipton, Indiana to the late Aloysius Anthony (A.A.) and Christina (Funke) Tragesser. A guiding voice to the extended A.A. Tragesser family, Ted is survived by his siblings Henni (Schuly) Schulenberg of Casper, WY, Constance Mumford of Kokomo, IN, Becky Soupley of Sharpsville, IN, Fran Mozzone of Ft. Wayne, IN, Donna (Dean) Tidler of Littleton, CO and John (Linda) Tragesser of Tipton, IN, as well as 150 nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. He is welcomed into the heavenly halls of eternity by his parents and siblings Rita, Robert, James, Thomas, and Herb. In 1968, Ted and Linda (Bowers) were lovingly joined in holy matrimony at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Tipton, Indiana; and they happily journeyed together for 54 years of marriage in Tipton, IN, Seattle WA, Crystal Lake, IL, Carpentersville, IL, Zionsville, IN, South Bend, IN, Yukon, OK, and Manteno IL. The original “Girl Dad”, Ted raised three fiercely competitive soccer-playing daughters: Alison Renata (Robert Finley), Olivia Kate (Steve Breden), both of Chicago, IL and Carmen Desiree (Steve Cuchiara) of Denver, CO. “Papaw” also was the proud grandfather to four adoring grandchildren: Elizabeth Claire and Brendan Joseph Tragesser Finley, and Jack Tragesser and Luke Tragesser Breden. Always a patriot with a passion for aviation, Ted enlisted in the United States Navy during the Vietnam War, served in Naval Air maintaining pilot ejection systems, and was honorably discharged as a Petty Officer 3rd Class earning the National Defense Service Medal. He worked with his brother Tom at Swift Tool & Die before graduating from Indiana University. Ted subsequently was employed for more than 30 years by the Federal Aviation Administration and Lockheed Martin as an Air Traffic Controller in Indianapolis, Oklahoma City, South Bend, and Kankakee airports. Ted’s lifelong commitment to service in his community includes President of the Kankakee Air Show, President of the Michiana Soccer Association, head coach Junior Irish Girls Soccer Club Indiana State Champion, head coach Indiana University-South Bend soccer team, founder and coach Manteno High School soccer program, head coach of Wilmington High School soccer team, head coach of Kankakee Community College soccer team, active liturgical minister at St. Joseph Catholic Church Manteno, IL, Knights of Columbus and American Legion. Ted was dedicated to woodworking, parties with Parrot Heads, and, after building their family home, obsessively competing for Homes of the Midwest Yard and Lawn Curator-in-Chief Lifetime Achievement Award. Family and friends are welcome to join a viewing to be held Monday, March 28, 2022 from 9:00AM to 11:00AM in Clancy-Gernon Funeral Home, 291 North Main Street, Manteno, IL; to be followed immediately by funeral rites in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church from 12:00PM at 207 South Main Street, Manteno, IL. Rite of Committal and Interment will be celebrated privately at a later date at Abraham Lincoln Memorial National Cemetery in Elwood, IL. In lieu of flowers, please make donation in memory of Theodore Tragesser to support cancer research at the University of Chicago Medicine and its relentless team including Drs. Posner and Cattenacci. Checks may be made payable to the “University of Chicago Medicine” and sent to the following address: University of Chicago Gift Administration and Business Data, Theodore Tragesser Memorial, 5235 S Harper Court, 4th Floor, Chicago, IL 60615. Or, you can donate online at: http://giving.uchicago.edu/Theodore-Tragesser Or donations can be made to St. Joseph Catholic Church, 207 S Main St, Manteno, IL 60950.