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Rev. Theodore R. “Ted” Taykowski, 86, went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, November 14, 2018. He was born in St. Louis, MO, on November 6, 1932, the son of Joseph and Irene (Cassoutt) Taykowski. As a child, he also lived in Detroit, Michigan; at age 13, Ted moved to Fort Wayne to attend Concordia Lutheran High School, and graduated in 1950. He attended Valparaiso University for one year before returning to Fort Wayne to begin his ministerial training at Concordia Junior College, and then attended Concordia Lutheran Seminary in St. Louis, MO. In 1956, Ted married his high school sweetheart, Marie Kleinschmidt, and they began their life of service together. During his vicarage, Ted established a mission congregation, St. Mark Lutheran Church, in Battle Creek Michigan. It was during this vicarage year that Ted and Marie were blessed with their firstborn son, Timothy Nathan, in 1957. On July 20, 1958, Ted was ordained at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Detroit, MI. After his ordination, his first call was a triple parish, serving churches in Curtis, Wellfleet, and White, Nebraska. While in Nebraska from 1958-1962, the family continued to grow, with the births of Todd David in 1959 and Tina Marie in 1960. For the next seven years, Ted served two churches in the Michigan district: St. Mark’s in Brooklyn, MI, from 1962-1964, during which time Ted and Marie were blessed with the addition of Troy Andrew to the family, and from 1964-1969 at Zion Lutheran Church in Marshall, MI. In January, 1969, the family relocated to Fort Wayne, and Ted was installed as the head pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church 1636 St. Marys Avenue on January 26, where he served for nearly 31 years. Following his retirement in 2000, he continued his work with the Indiana district through early 2018, as an interim vacancy pastor serving congregations in Churubusco, Columbia City Huntertown, Gar Creek, Ligonier, and Muncie. He also worked with Lutheran Senior Care Ministries for the next 17 years where he established a ministry of providing worship services to the residents of several local nursing home facilities including Arbor Glen, Village Oaks, and St. Anne’s.
Upon his arrival in Fort Wayne, Ted continued the tradition of summer worship services at Lincolndale Drive-in for 11 years. In 1980, the venue for this summer ministry was moved to the Follinger Theater in Franke Park, which continues today. Ted was a driving force behind the success of this ministry, and was proud that in 1999 an all-time record of 800 worshippers was reached.
Ted has also served the community through his work with the Indiana District and the Lutheran Association for Elementary Education, and through his service on the Board of Directors of Concordia Lutheran High School, and on the Board of Directors of Lutheran Hospital, Fort Wayne. He also served as the Chairman of Chaplaincy at Lutheran Hospital for 11 years, and was instrumental in implementing the Clinical Pastoral Education program. In 2002, Ted was honored with the Distinguished Alumni Award for Lifetime Achievement from Concordia Lutheran High School.
Ted was an avid golfer enjoying many rounds with friends and family. In his retirement years, he was a ranger at Autumn Ridge and River Bend Golf Courses. He also, enjoyed his time outdoors tending to his prized rose gardens and making sure his lawn scape was well manicured and the greenest in the neighborhood. Other outdoor activities included high school football where he spent many evenings in all kinds of weather watching his sons and grandsons play the sport he loved and excelled at as a teenager.
Ted is preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Irene Taykowski (McCray); brother, Joseph Taykowski; son, Troy Taykowski; stepfather, Homer McCray; and special Aunt Stella Skura (Taykowski). He is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 62 years, and sweetheart, Marie; children Timothy (Barbara) Taykowski of Macomb, MI, Todd (Laura) Taykowski of Lebanon, TN, and Tina (David) Franke of Fort Wayne; grandchildren Jacob (Sarah) Taykowski, Joshua (fiancée Margaret Reilly), Jonah Taykowski, Jonathan Taykowski, Garrett (Camesa) Taykowski, Rachel Taykowski, Roman Taykowski, and Rhett Taykowski; great grandchildren Luke, Elizabeth, Dante, and Delilah; and many nieces and nephews. While he will be sorely missed, his family rejoices in the knowledge that he is freed from the struggle of declining health, are comforted by the promise of eternal life, and are honored to be a part of the legacy that he leaves behind.
A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1636 St. Mary’s Avenue, in Fort Wayne, IN on December 8th at 11:00 am with visitation on December 7th from 4-8 pm and 1 hour prior to the service in the church fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the church. FairHaven Funeral Home and Cremation Services is handling arrangements.

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