Michael Lee Tedrick

Michael was born on November 17, 1943 in Athens Ohio and was the son of Wanda Lee (dec) and Jack Tedrick (dec). He graduated from Ohio University in 1964 with a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts and did post graduate work in architecture at the University of Kentucky. During this time, he did extensive research in Venice, Italy on the adaptive use of a deconsecrated church and monastery to serve as a cultural center.

He was a lieutenant in the US Navy Reserve from 1966 to 1970 in active duty and in the Naval Reserve from 1970 -1980.

In 1972 He returned to Kentucky to run a design firm, Lloyd & Tedrick Inc., until he moved to San Francisco in 1979. He and his partner, Tom Bennett, started the interior design firm of Tedrick & Bennett Inc. in 1980. He ran the firm on his own after Tom's death in 1996.

In 2005 he volunteered for the American Red Cross and spent one month in Southern Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina. He also volunteered at the Zen Hospice Project and later at Laguna Honda Hospital. Through his involvement with Grace Cathedral he made pilgrimages to The Holy Land and Nicaragua with groups from Grace and in 2006 he was sent to Jerusalem by the Department of World Missions of the Episcopal Church as a missionary to Jerusalem, working as a teaching assistant at St George's Anglican College. He traveled extensively in the Middle East and then continued with this work in Monrovia, Liberia and Curitiba, Brazil. Working in these various countries he clearly had taken a new direction with his life and yet viewed it as a continuation of an early interest in the ministry. The last five years of his life were very rewarding and uplifting for him in unexpected ways.

Once he was diagnosed with 4th stage lung cancer last November he carefully chose how he would live out the year. His courage was impressive and his generosity and kindness affected everyone around him. He allowed each friend to have special time with him and he wisely chose to spend his last days with the wonderful caregivers of Zen Hospice.

Michael will be missed by his many friends whose lives he touched. In a messy world he always looked for the beauty of life whether it was in design or in his missionary work. His gentle manner encouraged those around him to reach for something better in themselves.

Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, January 23rd at 2:00 pm at Grace Cathedral.

Memorials can be made to Grace Cathedral Endowment Fund, 1100 California Street, San Francisco, Ca. 94108 or Episcopal Charities, 1055 Taylor St, San Francisco, Ca. 94108.