Ted R Buman

Today we are here to celebrate the life of Ted. He was our son, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin or friend. Many people saw Ted as a very simple man. Never married, lived alone and was not seen or heard from as often as others. What I found in the life of Ted was not just this simple man who may not have verbally said much but one who through his presents said volumes. Ted was always there at the family gatherings. If invited he didn't conjure up some feeble excuse as to why he couldn't attend. He was there! Ted truly loved being with his family. I recall the many camping trips he went on. He always had his tent ready, his knife sharpened and his lantern lit. Ted really enjoyed camping. Even in those last trips when his sight was failing, he set up his own tent, laid out his sleeping bag and was always ready to help build the campfire. Course some say that campfire buildings is in the blood if you are a Buman. From a diagnostic point of view it's called pyromania. Yes the building of the fire became almost a contest between the three Buman kids, Ted, Carol and Mike. And of course it was always "the bigger the better". Ted could set for hours watching over the fire and starring into as if to see images that excited his curiosity. Onetime he was asked, "Hey Ted why are you looking at the fire?" Ted responded, "Cause it's more fun than looking at other things." At first I was taken aback by his response but as I thought about it, he was right. There were colors and movement and flashes that if you allow can excite your imagination and entertain you if you will just let it. And that was one of the great mysteries many did not see in this simple man Ted. Ted would take the time to enjoy his curiosity and imagination.

I know many of you have your remembrances of Ted. But for all of us who truly knew Ted we all will agree that one of Ted's greatest interest was in outer space. With his love of outer space Ted developed a great collection of pictures, movies, patches, writings, space ship models, books and even drew some pictures of those interest. Ted could talk with great authority about NASA and especially the Apollo missions to the moon. If you ever wanted to get Ted to talk, space and the exploration of space was a sure topic. Ted's interest in space allowed him to use his curiosity and imagination. I am sure he watched the Star Wars and Star Trek movies over several times. Ted's love of the space missions was seen in how he collected and organized several articles and pictures of space missions; carefully typed out important events and quotations of astronauts, presidents and scientist. He was a space exploration historian. I believe that in part Ted's interest in space was an expression of his spirituality. Ted wanted to reach out and understand God's great creation. Although never in space himself, Ted through the astronauts could experience and could explore the scenes of space that Astronaut Thomas Jones described, "I felt so privileged to be part of a scene so obviously set by God...the chance to experience this vista, wonder that our minds can appreciate God's glories, humility at my miniscule place in God's limitless universe". Ted shared these same desires and used limited hours of tireless collecting, organizing and writing about his interest in the mysteries of the worlds beyond. I think Ted shared in the belief that Astronaut Neil Armstrong shared, "Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man's desire to understand".

Ted's curiosity and love of exploration did not stop with outer space. Ted enjoyed exploring his community. Ted loved to get out and see the country. Before he was not able to drive, Ted would take off for journeys around the state. There were times he would get in his car and drive over to Yakima and show up at an uncle or aunts unannounced, stay for a short time and be off. After his eye sight began to fail, Ted did not let that stop his desires to get out and explore. Ted learned to use the transit system and would go for trips around the county. There were several times people would remark, "Hey I saw Ted walking somewhere in Tacoma, Puyallup or Bonney Lake". Ted often followed his set routes. He really enjoyed going to the South Hill Mall where he became a familiar early morning walker for several years. Ted would go visit friends some at nursing homes who he had met and would bring cheer to them. Ted was even in a picture on the front of the Tacoma News Tribune this past year in an article about reducing transit services. Ted took up the cause to save transit services and joined in writing the county transit about the transit needs of persons with disabilities.

Ted is well known for his great sense of humor and his love of teasing. How many of you can remember being squirted by Ted? I recall being at a family gathering and all of a sudden feeling these drops of water on me. I wondered where did those come from and as I looked around I spotted that somewhat impish grin of Ted's. I started to say something but Ted gave me the" be quite" sign. His real target was not me. He was aiming at one of his nieces, I had just got in the way. Remember, he used to carry around that little squirt gun? If it were not squirt guns then it may be shooting silly string from a can. Ted enjoyed laughing. He, Mike and Carol would get into these laughing fits over the silliest of things they would remember as children and then if Gordon was around he would soon join them and they would laugh uncontrollably for several minutes, with eyes watering and gasping for air. You could never get one over on Ted. If you were joking with him he had those great one liners with come backs like, "I know you are", "You should know", or "Just because you think". Ted always had the last word.

I know what I will remember and admire about Ted most was his strong will and desire to be independent. Ted had many struggles in his life to face. At a very early age he lost sight in one of his eyes and his speech was effected by meningitis. But Ted did not let these challenges interfere in his life. Ted graduated from Sumner High School and then went on to graduate from Clover Park Vocational College. Ted worked 26 years as a loyal and trusted employee of the State at Rainier School. Not until his eyesight became so poor did Ted retire from his job. Ted had other struggles. He had to often deal with people who couldn't or didn't want to take the time to understand his speech. Ted did not let the near blindness in his other eye deter his being independent. He was able to maintain a home in a small apartment; learn to use the transit system very well for transportation; paid his own bills; and did his own shopping. Ted mastered the use of his white cane and his monocular. His strong desire for independence and his courage to stand up against barriers, some human caused, provided him with the ability to live a full and free life. Ted did not give up! Even against the odds that he faced as a result of his fateful fall on August 18, Ted to the end was planning on returning to his home. Ted was in count down on the number of days he would have to be in the rehab nursing home. He was ordering new canes and other items with great anticipation of returning to his life of independence. I don't believe that we truly understood Ted's struggles or his strengths. Ted did not make a big deal out of those challenges. He accepted them, built up the inner courage and faced them with the determination to control them and not allow them to control or limit him. He mustered the strength that was needed and learned how to deal with what life had dealt him. Never once did I hear Ted complain about being blind, not having someone to wash his clothes or fix his meals. Over the last few weeks that Ted was with us he was in such great pain and discomfort. But not once did I hear Ted express any anger, ask for pity or curse his situation. Ted in the face of all that pain and adversity was daily dealing with it and developing the courage and hope to overcome one more time the challenges set before him. I can say I truly admire Ted's strengths and courage to deal with life's trials.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or whatever holiday or family gathering we will no longer be able to count on Ted to bring the bread rolls. We will not be able to know that he will be there sitting in a chair in his usual quite way and laughing at the rest of us as we scramble about. But we do know he will be there in our memories and in our hearts. Ted enjoyed being with us and loved his family. He at times would daunt over his nieces and nephews. He especially liked to kid and tickle the smaller ones and get them giggling. He was always very playful and enjoyed watching the kids play. All of these wonderful memories of Uncle Ted will remain with us.

Many of us have the Christmas ornaments he gave out at Christmas and can each recall how much it meant to him to give those. We will look at those space ornaments and remember how much he enjoyed the adventures of exploring the new frontiers of space.

Today we say farewell to this simple man known as Ted. But hopefully we can leave today with a new understanding of his meaning to our lives and the love he gave in those small simple ways. We can may allow ourselves to enjoy the use of our curiosity and imagination to explore and enjoy the world around us a little bit more. When faced with lives challenges and trials, we can remember this man Ted who used his strengths and courage to overcome and enjoy life. Ted I am truly grateful for having known you and for your love. You now have been "beamed up" Teddy Bear by the greatest power in the universe. You are now safe in HIs arms and enjoying the great welcoming of your mom, sister and brother who went before you. You are now well over the rainbow.