Theodore E. Hervey, Jr., passed from this life on Tuesday January 15, 2019 at his home in Bertram, after gracefully living with a diagnosis of Frontotemporal Degeneration since 2013, and later Parkinson’s Disease.
Ted and his sister Martha were born in Frankfurt, Germany, where Ted’s father, Col. Theodore E. Hervey, Sr., was stationed. Ted’s father, who later served a second tour during the Vietnam War, was also stationed at West Point, where Ted’s brother, Geoffrey was born. The family returned to Germany in the early 1960’s for several years in Ted’s late childhood. Ted’s mother, Cornelia Miller Hervey, was born in China, where her father, Luther Deck Miller, Sr. served as Chaplain for the US Army Infantry. Chaplain Miller attained the rank of Major General during WWII and later Chief of Chaplains of the US Army and Canon Presenter of Washington National Cathedral. Ted loved visiting his grandfather at the Cathedral as a child, exploring all its hidden passages and little rooms.
Ted graduated from Yorktown High School in Arlington, Virginia. He was an Eagle Scout, and was proud of a bridge he built at a local park for his project. He attended the University of Montana as a freshman, always having yen to explore the West. He transferred to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and graduated from that school with a degree in Biology in 1973. While enrolled at Virginia Tech, he spent time as a student teacher in Venezuela, an experience that made a lasting impact on him. Following graduation he attended Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, receiving his Masters of Divinity in 1976. During his seminary time he spent a few months serving in an Episcopal Church in a small village in Alaska, making a lasting impact on him as well. He also attended Army Chaplain School in New York.
As an Episcopal priest, Ted served All Saints Episcopal Church in Corpus Christi and St. Thomas Episcopal Church in San Antonio during the 70’s. He then served at Grace Episcopal Church in Weslaco, where he started a Spanish language service and led parishioners to take part in Vacation Bible Schools across the border. He was involved with expediting the delivery of medical equipment to needy locations across the border in Mexico. He took part in the Cursillo movement, which organized retreats to encourage spiritual growth, connection, and evangelism, and Ted was active in its counterpart for high school students, Happening. Ted was instrumental in launching Vocare, a similar retreat movement for college students.
Also close to his heart was the Presiding Bishop’s Fund for World Relief, through which a family of four, the Sziemzuchs, were resettled from a refugee center in Europe after escaping Communist-controlled Poland. Ted’s congregation at Grace enjoyed learning a little Polish, teaching Stanley Sziemzuch to drive, and watching the two little girls grow and later be confirmed at the Catholic Church nearby.
Ted then served at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Wimberley and also taught 4th and 5th grade science and PE at Kirby Hall in Austin. He loved his students and his time there. In 1990, he began teaching Biology and Physics at Round Rock High School. He went on to become Chair of the Science Department and participated with his students in Robotics, taking a team all over the state for competitions.
In 1994, Ted began his ministry at Epiphany Episcopal Church in Burnet, and for many years continued to teach at Round Rock high School while leading services on Sundays. Ted’s sermons often combined elements of both science and religion, which he believed were not mutually exclusive.
Ted served as Epiphany’s vicar and later, priest, for nearly 20 years. He was involved with the Ministerial Alliance and the Hill Country Literacy Council, and was on the board of LaCare, the local food bank. With the help of the Diocese of Texas and local businessmen, Ted was instrumental in relocating a family who had lost their home to Hurricane Rita. Their relocation brought many blessings both to Epiphany and to the family, who still reside in the area.
In celebration of his 30th year of priesthood, the parishioners at Epiphany help send Ted and his wife, Carol, to visit daughter Catherine in Goli, Uganda. It was the adventure of a lifetime for them, as they saw lions, elephants and giraffes up close, and also got to know Alphonse Watho-Kudi, the Bishop of Nebbi, who had taken Catherine into his home and made her part of his family. Bishop Alphonse took Ted and Carol to visit schools where children performed skits and sang beautiful music, and to Prayer Mountain, a beautiful place for prayer and meditation. Ted was especially impressed with the people who walked miles on Sundays for church services that were filled with joyful singing, drumming and testimonies. He and Carol were able to hear the former Archbishop of Uganda, Henry Orombi, preach in Goli, and they later had tea with the Archbishop at his home. Ted was in heaven, even then.
Ted became the Chair of World Missions in the Diocese of Texas and returned to East Africa in 2011 with a delegation from the Diocese for the celebration of the 150th anniversary of Anglicanism in Malawi, another fabulous experience for him. While there, he and others preached in local churches there. From time to time, he invited African priests and bishops he had met over the years to come preach at Epiphany.
Ted is survived by his wife, Carol Hayes Hervey, his son James Christopher (and wife Lindsey Hervey), his daughter Sarah Elizabeth (and husband Mike Blaine), his daughter Catherine Faith (and husband Arthur Penney), and his stepson John Christopher Cones (and wife Tina Forbis). He is also survived by grandchildren Michael Blaine, Katelyn Blaine, Will Hervey, Grady Hervey, Eleanor Penney, and Imogen Penney, his sister Martha Hervey and nephews Thomas Hervey and John Grimm, and brother Geoffrey Hervey, sister-in-law Mary Apostolakos Hervey and nieces Anna Hervey and Elena Hervey. He is preceded in death by his daughter Meredith Grace.
Ted loved caring for his cattle and tending to the hayfield, spending many hours on the tractor cutting and hauling hay, fixing fences, and doing other ranch work. His favorite place in the entire world was Creede, Colorado, where he bought an old cabin on East Willow Creek and spent many summers and spring breaks in Creede fishing and recharging. He loved backpacking, and he took his children and nephew Thomas on many of those outings. His ashes will be spread there.
Ted was lovingly cared for in the last years of his life by Carol, his wife, as well as caregivers, Kathryn Avery, Don Berryhill, Shirley Blair, Tracy Morgan, Sarah Parker, Chenoa Bates and Karen Phillips, and nurses Patty Hardison and Deborah Devaney, New Century Hospice and Visiting Angels and Capitol Senior Care. Memorial donations may be made to Epiphany Episcopal Church, Burnet or the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, at www.theaftd.org website. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 26th at 2 pm at Epiphany Episcopal Church in Burnet.
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