Theodore Michael Jenes

Beloved, admired, and an inspiration, Theodore Michael Jenes (1 May 1954 – 10 March 2015), was a tenaciously loving man who lived in a way that made life better for everyone around him. No one felt this influence more deeply than his family: his loving wife of more than 37 years, Jean; their son Eric, wife Nora, and son Oscar of Ithaca, NY; their son Adam, wife Amy, children Owen and Lylah of Fort Collins; his parents Ted and Bev; his brother Mark and wife Ann; and their large extended family, including Jean’s brother Cliff Summers of South Dakota, his lifelong devoted friend. For those he taught, Ted was more than a role model; he was a kind, funny, and dedicated man in love with teaching while gently caring for generations of students as an elementary school teacher in the Poudre School District for 31 years, with tenures at Cache La Poudre and Timnath Elementary Schools, among others, and as a district curriculum development specialist. Long after leaving his classroom, students still sought him out; sometimes seeking advice, always expressing gratitude. His influence in their lives reached beyond academics, and inspired them to be caring, productive, and generous of heart. Ted was also an inspirational athlete, excelling at distance running while earning his bachelor’s at the University of Washington, and then during a lifetime of running and cycling. That inner drive and commitment characterized his life, from earning his master’s degree at Colorado State University to building a loving home and family with the “girl next door” he met in Bad Kreuznach, Germany, where he graduated from high school in 1972. His tenacity and sheer grit was never more evident than during his ascent in the Pike’s Peak Marathon or his cross-country bicycle ride from Colorado to New Hampshire, with the exception of his 13 year battle with brain cancer, which incited even more endurance and willpower. Right until his diagnosis, Ted took great joy in mountain biking with his sons, Eric and Adam, in rugged places like Moab, Utah. Ted will be vividly remembered for his infectious zany humor, his generous spirit, his gentle ways together with fortitude and courage. Ted expressed the sentiment; ‟I had success in racing only because I was not afraid to lose so long as I left everything I had on the track or course. This [cancer] is no different.” Ted Jenes left the best of himself in the lives of all those he taught and loved. A Memorial Service in Ted’s honor will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, March 21, in the South Auditorium of Timberline Church in Fort Collins, 2908 S. Timberline Road. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in care of Bohlender Funeral Chapel, 121 W. Olive St, Fort Collins, CO 80524.

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Theodore Michael Jenes

May 1, 1954 - March 10, 2015