Theodore Wallace Smith Jr. (Ted), 75, of Ventura, California, passed away on Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Ventura, California. Ted was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Theodore and Lillian Smith on January 14, 1949. He went to high school at Buena High and graduated in 1966. He went on to earn a degree in Agricultural Science from Fresno State. He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1971. He served as an Air Traffic Control Operations Officer and T-37 Flight Training Instructor. He met his loving wife, Cheryl, at a New Year's Eve Party in December 1973 while he was home on leave. Ted and Cheryl were married in August 1974. He left the Air force in 1979 as a Captain. After serving in the Air Force he served as an FAA Air Traffic Controller before transitioning to working as a Corrections Officer at the California Youth Authority (CYA) in Camarillo until retirement.
Ted enjoyed anything aviation related and spent many hours at his family hangar at the Santa Paula Airport, where he tinkered with his father’s Beech Debonair and his Cessna 140. Ted enjoyed spending his retirement years with his loving wife Cheryl, their dog Taffy, his daughter Jennifer and her dog (his granddog), Keegan.
Ted is survived by his wife, Cheryl of Ventura; daughter, Jennifer of Ventura; son, Jonathan of San Jose. He is preceded in death by his mother, Lillian, and father, Theodore. The family wishes to extend their gratitude to staff at CMH.
Family and friends are invited to visiting hours to be held Friday April 12, 2024 from 10am to 12:30pm in the BOYKO & REARDON TELEGRAPH ROAD MORTUARY & CREMATION, 15 Teloma Drive, Ventura, where funeral services will follow at 12:30pm in the Mortuary Chapel. Interment with Military Honors will then immediately follow in Santa Paula Cemetery at 2:00pm.