Rosalind Todd Tedards

Rosalind DeSaussure Todd Tedards, 74, wife of Jack H. (“Ted”) Tedards, Jr., passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 20, 2020, after a year-long, determined fight against pneumonia and related non-coronavirus problems. Born in Milledgeville GA on March 7, 1946, she was the daughter of the late John Dickerson (“J. D.”) Todd, Jr. and Mellicent McWhorter (“Mell”) Todd. Although Rosalind was born in Milledgeville, she lived in Greenville all her life, except for the period from college through Ted’s graduation from law school.

Rosalind graduated from Greenville High School in 1963, earned her degree in political science from Agnes Scott College in Decatur GA in 1967, and was awarded a Master’s degree from George Washington University in 1969. She and Ted were married June 28, 1969, and enjoyed a storybook marriage for over 51 years.

Rosalind loved sports, particularly baseball and the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. Ted had been a Dodger fan even longer. They had been high school classmates, but they were only casual acquaintances until, after graduation, they learned they were both Dodger fans. That began their friendship, which soon grew into something more. They honeymooned in Los Angeles to watch the Dodgers, and their favorite vacations were their week-long trips to see the Dodgers during spring training in Vero Beach FL. Incidentally, the Dodgers won 19-0 on June 28, 1969, the day they were married.

Another major interest for Rosalind was American government and history. While in graduate school, she thoroughly enjoyed working on Capitol Hill in the office of Senator Strom Thurmond and getting a first-hand look at government and politics. She loved to read, and a book Ted gave her as a present sparked an interest in the American Civil War. As a student of history, she became fascinated with this critical period in our country’s past. The more she learned, the more she wanted to learn. She ended up with a library of over 850 Civil War books, most of which she had read cover to cover.

After meeting three prominent Civil War historians on a cruise on the Delta Queen steamboat, Rosalind began doing research on South Carolina soldiers for one of them. This led to her being recruited to write a regimental history, A History of the Fifth South Carolina Volunteers, as part of a series published by Broadfoot Publishing Company. Regimental histories do not delve deeply into battlefield strategy and tactics, but rather focus on the experiences of the soldiers in the regiment, drawn as much as possible from letters, diaries, and other contemporary sources. Although the project took years to complete, Rosalind enjoyed the experience so much that she researched and wrote a second regimental history, Orr’s Rifles. She was justly proud of these books, and they create a legacy that will long survive.

While Rosalind loved Greenville High, the City of Greenville, Agnes Scott, sports, the Dodgers, cats, swimming, reading, history, research, and writing, her character was best defined by how much she liked and cared about people. She was a happy person. No one could describe her without talking about her beautiful and sincere smile, which was seemingly always there. Even during her long hospitalization, the doctors, nurses and staff would talk about how she always greeted them with a beautiful smile, no matter how she felt or what discomfort they might inflict on her.

Rosalind’s love of people was reflected in constant efforts to stay connected with friends and family, and to keep them connected with one another. She was the acknowledged leader of the Greenville High class of 1963 Reunion Committee for decades, and she loved every chance to make a new friend of a classmate she did not know well during high school. For many years, she organized and held together a multi-generational group of her immediate family, in-laws, second cousins, friends and guests to see plays together at the Greenville Little Theatre. Rosalind was one of seven young women who met their freshman year at Agnes Scott and have remained close ever since, and one of them described Rosalind as the glue that held the group together. She naturally assumed the role of family photographer, sending copies to everyone and preserving family memories that would otherwise have faded. She even suggested and organized get-togethers for Ted’s extended family. She made a difference in many lives.

Surviving in addition to Ted are Rosalind’s brother and sister-in-law Jack and Joan Todd; three nieces who are more like daughters: Emily Todd Mundey and her husband Sean; Susan Todd Herbeck and her husband Dave; and Anna Todd; brother-in-law Frank Tedards; sister-in-law Rachel Tedards Keeney; nephew Jackson Keeney; first cousins Leonard Todd Jr. and his wife Laurel; Molly Clouse and her husband Van; Albert McWhorter and his wife Debbie; and Tom McWhorter and his wife Ellen; and a number of second cousins whose friendship Rosalind treasured. Rosalind and one special second cousin, Sue Wyckoff, called each other “the sister I never had,” and they were each other’s maid/matron of honor.

Mention should be made of the excellent and compassionate care Rosalind received from everyone at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital (downtown), including doctors, nurses and staff. Special thanks are owed to Dr. Julia Payne and all the other doctors with Palmetto Pulmonary, and to nurse practitioner Lori Weinstein, whom Rosalind called her “rock” and who became a real friend to both Rosalind and Ted.

A family graveside service will be held in Springwood Cemetery on Saturday, August 29. The casket will be open for viewing until 11:00 that Saturday morning at Mackey Mortuary on Century Drive. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to American Battlefield Trust, PO Box 79535, Baltimore MD 21279-0535; to First Baptist Church, 847 Cleveland Street, Greenville SC 29601; or to a charity of one’s choice.