Seattle, Washington - Theodore Howard Ormbrek (aka "Howdy" or "Ted")

Ted was born November 9, 1925 in Woodinville WA and died January 9, 2021 in Seattle WA. His mother, Helga Mathilde Jorgensen, (born in 1902 in Nesna Norway) arrived at Ellis Island on November 27, 1920 and was en route to her aunt in Bothell WA. His father, Ted Ormbrek (born 1897 in Woodinville WA) was the oldest of ten children born to Norwegian homesteaders Gunnleik Tovsson Ormbrekk (b.1868 on the ancestral Ormbrek farm in Høydalsmo Norway and Kari Fosberg (b. 1874 in Lom, Norway. Gunnleik and Kari were homesteaders in the Sammamish Valley. Howdy was raised by his Norwegian grandmother, Kari, along with his ten "uncle brothers" and aunts. His family included musicians, especially fiddlers, and the Ormbrek barn in Woodinville was the site for many dances.

He quit Ballard High School in 1943 and joined the navy at the age of 17. He was an electronics technician's mate and served aboard the USS Mount Olympus in the Philippines. His ship was moored next to the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay where he was able to witness the surrender ceremony on September 2, 1945.

After the war he returned to Seattle and lived with his aunt and uncle, Chet and Myrtle Ormbrek, in Ballard. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Washington and received his bachelor's degree. He worked for thirty years in the Engineering Department for the city of Seattle, retiring as senior engineer. Some of his projects included redesigning all the Seattle bridge lighting, designing the lighting around Century 21 World's Fair in 1962, and the well known globe lights of Pioneer Square.

He met Betty Louise Berry across the street from his aunt and uncle's house in Ballard. They married June 25, 1951. His wife preceded him in death on October 13, 2003. They have three surviving children: Carleen Ormbrek Zimmerman (b.1952) married to Neil Zimmerman residing in Brier, WA. Larry Ormbrek (b. 1954) married to Susie Ormbrek residing in Sequim, WA. Sheri Bundy (b.1962) married to Len Bundy residing in Enumclaw, WA. He is survived by eight grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.

Ted had a beautiful tenor voice and sang in the choir at Wedgwood Presbyterian Church. He was also active in the Norwegian Male Chorus for many years which incidentally was founded by his grandfather Gunnleik Ormbrek in 1889.

He never got to visit Norway but always participated in the Norwegian May 17 Constitution Day parade in Ballard as well as the Sammamish Valley Pioneer Picnics held annually since the 1920's.

Ted attended Wedgwood Presbyterian Church for over 60 years serving in many different capacities. He had such a loving and gentle spirit filled with compassion for others and he lived out his faith caring for people here as well as volunteering in other organizations. He was an amazing man of God and loved his family well. He will be missed but we rejoice that he is now in the presence of our Lord and Savior. It was obvious why he was the, 'Greatest Generation'.