Theodore Kenneth Touw, age 100, of St. Simons Island, GA, died May 29, 2014, at Spring Arbor Assisted Living in Durham, NC. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at Saint Simons Presbyterian Church at 2:00 PM with Rev. Bob Brearly officiating. Burial will follow at Oglethorpe Memorial Garden. Mr. Touw was born in Prospect Heights, NJ, to Adam and Anna Wynia Touw. The family moved to Platte, South Dakota in 1917, where he lived until after high school. Mr. Touw became a licensed amateur radio operator (Ham) as a boy and joined a Naval Reserve program as a radio operator before entering active duty as an Ensign prior to World War II. After serving in the Pacific Theater and as an instructor at the U.S. Naval Academy, he ended his naval career as a Commander. Mr. Touw’s civilian career included being a radio operator and station manager for Delta Airlines and working for a variety of aerospace companies. After retirement, he was an active ham radio operator involved in civilian networks especially the Military Auxiliary Radio System which linked servicemen to families back home before the internet. He was also a volunteer fireman, an outdoors naturalist, and member of the Optimist Club, Golden Isles Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), and St. Simons Presbyterian Church. Mr. Touw moved to Spring Arbor in Durham, NC in 2004 to be closer to his family. He will be remembered for his easy smile, quick wit, sense of humor, skill at puzzles and games, as well as love for his family. He was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Iris Westbrook Touw; a sister, Viola Touw; and 2 brothers: Clarence Touw (wife Alberta) and Calvin Touw (wife Joanne). He is survived by a son, Kenneth Touw (wife Patricia) of Cary, NC; three grandchildren: Anduin Touw-Jackson (husband Brian) of Falls Church, VA; Katherine DeAlmeida (husband Craig) of Chapel Hill, NC, Adam Walker Touw of Chicago, IL; 3 great-grandchildren: Lorien Jackson, Genevieve DeAlmeida, and Poppy DeAlmeida; and a large extended family. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be given in Mr. Touw’s memory to the St. Simons Land Trust, P.O. Box 24615, St. Simons Island, GA 31522. Edo Miller and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. www.edomillerandsons.com
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