Weldon, Jr, Theodore Tefft

Theodore Tefft Weldon Jr., former senior executive at Sears, Roebuck and Co., Winnetka, Illinois, passed away October 9, 2022, at home, surrounded by his three children. He was 90 years old. Ted was born July 19, 1932, at Evanston Hospital. His favorite memories of his early years were his visits to Pass-a-Grille, Florida, staying with his grandfather, Fred Stover, in his house on the water. He graduated from New Trier High School as a 4-year letterman in both swimming and cheerleading. During that time, he held many jobs including crossing guard for 25 cents per week, and tree trimmer with his best friend, Frank Windes. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1954 and entered Sears, Roebuck, and Co’s executive training program for $75/week at the Sears store in Gary, Indiana. It was in his first year in Gary that he met the love of his life, Barbara Eskilson. They were married in 1957. After a short time in Kankakee, Ted was transferred to Sears headquarters. They settled in Evanston, IL in 1962 and eventually moved to Winnetka, IL in 1969 to the home where Ted and Barbara raised their three children Lisa, Ted and Meg and lived for the rest of their lives. Ted spent 39 years at Sears rising through the ranks to ultimately head the Sears Catalog. He exceled at merchandising, advertising and especially marketing. Among many other things, in a venture with Michelin he successfully led the launch of the RoadHandler radial tire, the first radial tire in the US. In 1986, Ted headed up a joint a venture with Joe Segal and QVC for a very successful two-year exclusive agreement to sell Sears products. Ted had a thriving independent consulting career for another 11 years upon retirement from Sears, which included working with KingWorld and Focus Media to find items for informercials. Above all Ted was a family man. He was a devoted husband and father. Ted spent his free time teaching his children how to build and repair, plant a garden, as well as bake popovers and ebleskivers. He supported their every endeavor and was their biggest fan. In addition, he supported Barbara behind the scenes when she cofounded Children’s Theatre of Winnetka, by building sets, running marketing efforts, acting as photographer and historian, and building a new thrust stage for productions at the Winnetka Community House. Ted was an avid gardener, model builder and workshop tinkerer. He would spend countless hours doing woodworking, constructing a grandfather clock, repairing automobiles, and building a Bradley GT II kit car, one of his proudest accomplishments. Ted is preceded in death by his parents Dorothe Galbraith Stover Weldon and Theodore Tefft Weldon Jr, sisters Courtney Goodmonson and Marge Smithe, brothers John Weldon and Hank Weldon, and his loving wife of 64 years, Barbara Weldon. He is survived by daughter Lisa (Greg) LeFevre of Woodstock, IL, son Theodore (Haley) Weldon III of Chicago, IL, daughter Meg Weldon of Wilmette, IL, sister Betty Timson of Prescott, AZ, grandchildren Susan, Jennifer, Aimee, Michael, Theo, Spencer and Nate, and great grandchildren Adeia, Alethea, Leif, Amarie and David. Ted will be remembered for his kindness, sense of humor, devotion to his family and friends, but most of all for his unbridled enthusiasm for life. Visitation Monday, October 17, 2022, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Funeral Service Tuesday October 18, 2022, 11:00 a.m. at Donnellan Family Funeral Home, 10045 Skokie Boulevard Skokie, IL 60077, followed by lunch at his favorite restaurant, Hackney’s on Lake in Glenview, for those who would like to celebrate Ted’s life Donnellanafterwards. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made payable to the Children’s Theatre of Winnetka and mailed to: The Barbara and Ted Weldon Scholarship Fund c/o The Winnetka Community House, 630 Lincoln Avenue, Winnetka, IL 60093 Info: donnellanfuneral. com or (847) 675-1990.