Ted Lazarides

Ted Lazarides was born in Mar del Plata, Argentina on the 29th of January, 1953, to Helen Katsoris Lazarides and Constantine Lazarides. He was baptized on the 24th of May 1953. A much loved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, nouno and friend, Ted died in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, the 6th of July 2011.

Ted grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In 1971, he started studying architecture at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. During his time in New Zealand, Ted became very interested in computers and their application in architecture, and honed his skills in golf and photography. In 1976, after graduating B.Arch from the University of Auckland, Ted ¬¬went home to Buenos Aires for a time before returning to Auckland to work with BCH&F, Engineers. His responsibilities there were the design of the Karitane Library and the corporate office of Ciba-Geigy N.Z. Ltd. Ted moved to Houston in 1978 where he graduated from the University of Houston with an M.B.A. and acquired his Texas Real Estate Brokers license. He was a member of AIA and GHBA and was involved with the design and/or construction of more than 30 beautiful homes in the Houston area, first with Memorial Builders and then with his own company, Lazarides Design and Construction.

Ted was a complete romantic who could find beauty in everyday moments. From a very early age Ted was rarely without a camera; his first, an Asahi Pentax, followed by a Nikon, and in the mid 1990s he realized his childhood dream of owning a Hasselblad. Of late his ever present iPhone became his lens of choice. One of Ted’s proudest achievements was to have photographs and stories published in Hasselblad Forum and Outdoor Photographer. His wildlife photographs range from alligators and Whooping Cranes of Texas to the big game animals of Botswana and Kenya. The two Africa trips were a gift from a happy client.

Ted also had a life long love of fast cars. In 1999, a friend gave Ted an unforgettable experience as navigator during the Italia Classica race through the Tuscan countryside, in a 1950 Ferrari SWB and another trip to Italy in 2002 included a pilgrimage to Modena. In Germany, Ted drove the Nurburgring in a yellow Porsche GT3. He joined the PCA in 2000, qualified with a racing license, and as a high speed driving instructor. Ted served as both Chairman and Secretary of the PCA Lone Star Region Drivers’ Education program. One of the events Ted very much enjoyed taking part in, was the annual Classy Chassis fundraiser for the Shriner’s Hospital, giving supporters an exciting short course ride in his red Porsche GT3.

His pride and joy were his three beautiful daughters, Amy, Melissa and Katie, his granddaughter, Maddie, and new grandson, Alec. He always had new photos and stories to share with everyone he met.

Ted and Patricia fell in love during Ted’s final months of study at the University of Auckland. The early days of the romance included two long separations during which Ted wrote a love letter every single day and sent flowers each weekend. They had two weddings – the first on the 6th of August 1979, in Devonport, Auckland, overlooking the Hauraki Gulf and another on the 8th of November 1979, in the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Buenos Aires.

Ted Lazarides is survived by his wife Patricia; daughter, Amy and her husband, Manish Sharma, and grandson, Alexander; daughter, Melissa and her husband, Nick Hamilton, and granddaughter, Madeleine; and daughter Katie, and Andrew Seifert; his parents, Helen and Costa, his sister Cristina Hendrix and Cristina’s husband Eddie and their daughter, his Goddaughter, Alexandra. He is also survived by his Nouna, Marika Palandjoglou, and her family.

The memorial service is to be held at two o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 6th of August, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

For those desiring, donations may be made in Ted’s name to Bo’s Place, via their electronic website of www.bosplace.org; or Fisher House, via their electronic website of www.fisherhouse.org .