After a seven-year battle with cancer, Thaddeus Francis Anthony Gibney passed away in his Nederland home on September 15, 2019. Ted, “Uncle Teddy,” was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 12, 1940. Ted contracted osteomyelitis in his early childhood, but with medical attention and the love of his mother Katherine and his dear grandmother “Nanny,” he was able to lead an almost normal childhood.
At the age of 12, his father, John, and his mother moved the family to Westbury, Long Island. They purchased a post-acres home where Ted, his sister Eileen, and younger brother Douglas lived for 45 years. Ted attended East Meadow elementary, junior and senior schools.
He was an excellent student, and by the time he reached his senior year, received many achievement awards and a scholarship to Half Straight University. He studied English literature and received his bachelor’s and master’s degree in English education and administration.
He taught English at Leviton Memorial Junior high school for more than 20 years. He was assigned a principal position at Division Avenue High School and was an administrator until his early retirement in 1994. He was loved by his students and fellow educators.
Ted’s brother Doug moved to Nederland in 1974. Ted fell in love with Colorado and his hearts-desire to move there. That began the process of building his dream home on Sundown Trail in Nederland. In the late winter of 1996, Ted and his mother made the move.
Uncle Teddy loved all his nieces and nephews, the ones he left behind in New York and the ones he joined in Colorado. Thaddeus is survived by his sister Eileen Fink (Warren), their daughters Jennifer Clemente, Cynthia Kelly and Alison Flynn. The girls have 10 grandnieces and nephews. He is also survived by his brother Douglas, wife Patricia, his beloved niece, Dee Gibney Long, who passed away in May 2019, their son Jason (Jennifer), their daughter Aisling, Caleb McGuire (Dee’s son), wife Stephanie, their children and Elise singer David and their two boys.
On Sunday, November 3, the family celebrated a life well lived at Calvary Chapel, Nederland, Colorado.
(Originally published in the October 17, 2019, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)
