Theodore "Ted" Watrous

Theodore “Ted” Watrous, age 89, died on April 1, 2021. He was a graduate of Harbor High School in Ashtabula, Ohio in 1950. He was a four-sport letterman, Vice President of his class and performed in school plays. He grew up on the shore of Lake Erie and had a love of water and boating that lasted throughout his life. Ted spent four years in the US Navy and served in the Korean War. He was on the USS Bennington when it blew up, killing 124 crew members and leaving his family without any knowledge of whether he survived the explosion for many days.

After his stint in the Navy he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from The Ohio State University and rarely missed an OSU football game, usually while singing the Fight Song and yelling loudly at the TV or in the stands. In 1958 he married the love of his life, Gloria Ann Hershberg, who was a childhood friend and neighbor. Throughout their 62 wonderful years of marriage he was quick to point out how beautiful she was up until the day he died. He is survived by his wife, Gloria, daughters Tracy and Mindy, daughter-in-law Tiffani, his son Benjamin, and his grandchildren Megan and her husband Daniel, Samantha, Scott, Merissa, Caley, Theodore (Theo) and Birdie. He is also survived by his nephews Scott and Chris Law. Ted had many interests, but his favorite was spending time with his family and especially his grandchildren. He was so proud of each one of them.

Theodore Clare Davis, Jr. was born in Ashtabula, Ohio on March 10, 1932 to Mildred Cole Davis and Theodor Clare Davis. At age 11, he was adopted by his mother’s second husband, Robert Watrous and became Theodore C. Watrous.

Following college graduation, he joined the management training program of Phillips Petroleum and spent his first days dressed as a cowboy waving people into Phillip 66 gas stations. He moved into the lubricants department, moving his family from Columbus, Ohio to Findley, Ohio to Bartlesville, Oklahoma to Raleigh, NC to Atlanta, Georgia and back to Bartlesville, Oklahoma where he ended his career with Phillips at the corporate headquarters. After 25 years with Phillips Petroleum, he took early retirement after a hostile takeover attempt by T. Boone Pickens. He then accepted a position at Delta Petroleum and he, Gloria and Ben moved to Denver followed next by Tracy and finally Mindy and her family. In Denver, he started his own company, Oil Sources, and sold it at the age of 75.

Ted was the kindest, most genuine man and was the lifeforce of his family. He never met a stranger and was generous beyond measure.

Funeral services will be held at Horan and McConaty Funeral Home, Centennial, Colorado on Saturday, April 10th at 11:00 a.m. Reception will follow the service at the home of Gloria Watrous from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. In honor of his military service, Ted will be laid to rest at Fort Logan cemetery in a private ceremony for immediate family only. Those wishing to honor his life can make a donation to Roundup Fellowship, a nonprofit organization serving children and adults with intellectual disabilities, 3443 S. Galena St., Ste 310, Denver, CO 80231 or at www.rup.org.