Theodore Eugene Ledbetter Sr.

Theodore “Ted” Eugene Ledbetter, Sr.
April 1, 1939 – September 4, 2021

Theodore Eugene Ledbetter Sr, of Tucson, AZ, passed away on Saturday, September 4th, 2021. He was born in Mountain View, Howell County, Missouri. Upon graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force as a Security Forces Officer. He served 6 years with tours in Tripoli, West Africa, Saudi Arabia, the Suez Canal Crisis, along with various stateside assignments. He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force in 1962 as an Airman First Class. He and his family then moved back to Missouri. From there he moved to Arizona with his parents and took care of them till their passing. “Ted” loved Arizona so much that he decided to retire there. For many years he was a member of the Optimist Club of Arizona. He was a charter member of the Maricopa Optimist Club formed in 1984. He was considered as the heart and soul of the Maricopa Optimist Club. He was the president the Maricopa Optimist Club on multiple occasions. He served as the Lieutenant Governor multiple terms and serviced as the Governor of the Arizona Optimist Club from 1997-1998. He worked in farming and auto dismantling throughout the county of Maricopa, finally retiring in Tucson, Arizona. He is preceded in death by his father, Ralph Ledbetter Sr, mother, Dortha House Ledbetter; brothers, John Ledbetter, Ralph Ledbetter Jr, Clyde Ledbetter, Gale Ledbetter, William Ledbetter; sisters, Ida Ledbetter, Conzadie Ledbetter Cole; grandson, Theodore Eugene Ledbetter III, and his Life Partner, Mildred (Millie) Fields. He is survived by sisters, Joyce Ledbetter Cawthra, Elizabeth (John) Ledbetter Wiseman; brother, James (Theresa) Ledbetter; children, Susan Charles (Don), Theodore Eugene Ledbetter Jr (Sandy), Amy Ledbetter Cook (Danny), Riley “Eddie” Ledbetter, Leslie Ledbetter (Matilda), Robert Ledbetter (Melissa); 19 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great grandchildren; 19 nieces, 22 nephews, 5 great nieces, 7 great nephews, 7 great-great nieces, and 3 great-great nephews.