Theodore "Ted" Blomenberg

Theodore “Ted” P. Blomenberg, 76, of Decatur, Indiana passed away Thursday, February 11, 2021 at Lutheran Hospital in Ft. Wayne.  He was recovering from a recent heart procedure but ultimately passed away due to complications from a fall.

Ted was born on July 28, 1944 in Columbus, Indiana, the first of eight children born to the late Gilbert P. Blomenberg and Bertha Marie (Koch) Blomenberg.   He graduated from Concordia University, Seward, NE, in 1966, with a B.S. degree in education.

Ted was united in marriage to Saundra “Sandy” Niedens (whom he met at Concordia) on June 12, 1966.  After graduation, they taught for two years at Immanuel Lutheran School in Higginsville, MO.  They relocated to Columbus, Indiana when Ted decided to pursue further education at Indiana University.   He finished his graduate studies in audiovisual education at IU in August 1975, earning the Doctorate in Education degree.  Dr. Ted then accepted a position at the University of Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa) where he was director of the bio-medical Audio-Visual Center and responsible for developing, documenting and illustrating medical procedures for use as teaching material by faculty of the university’s School of Medicine.

During the 1980’s the family moved to the Blomenberg family farm in Decatur, Indiana.  Ted taught briefly at St.  Peter’s Lutheran School in Huntington.  His wife Sandy spent the remainder of her teaching career as 1st and 2nd grade teacher at St. Peter Immanuel Lutheran School in Decatur, IN.

Ted will best be remembered for his keen interest and activity in varied restoration and historical preservation projects. In the late 1980’s he volunteered to help Mennonites in the Berne, Indiana area restore their first church.  He traded his labor in an effort to gain access to a house in the Friedheim area that was once owned by Friedrich Conrad Dietrich Wyneken (1810-1876)., an Indiana pioneer religious leader.   The relocation and restoration of this house became Ted’s labor of love for many years.  Ultimately, Ted’s continued efforts attracted additional support and led to the formation in 2004 of The Friends of Wyneken (FOW), a committee of members of the Indiana German Heritage Society. Ted served as president of the FOW for several years.  The FOW organization has successfully moved the Wyneken house to its current location on Winchester Road where restoration work continues. The home will be used as an Educational Center to promote the significance of the Adams County area’s German-American heritage.

Ted was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church – Friedheim, where his great-grandfather Rev. C.B. Preuss was pastor for 43 years.  His paternal grandparents, M.C. and Esther (Preuss) Blomenberg were also members there for many years.

Ted is survived by his wife of 54 years, Sandy Blomenberg of Decatur, Indiana, son, David Blomenberg of Indianapolis, Indiana; son, Erik (Emily) Blomenberg of Dandridge, Tennessee; daughter, Beth  (Scott) McCloskey of Missouri City, Texas; sister, Dr. Paula (Charles Rager) Blomenberg of Seward, Nebraska; brother, John (Susan Ann) Blomenberg of Seward, Nebraska; sister, Rhoda (Dr. Dominick) Toulouse of Seattle, Washington; brother, Dr. Daniel (Deanna) Blomenberg of Norfolk, Nebraska; sister, Andrea (Drew) Woodburn of  York, Nebraska; sister-in-law, Janeen Blomenberg of Columbus, Indiana; and four grandchildren, Michael Blomenberg, Brandon McCloskey, Joshua Blomenberg, and Madison McCloskey.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Sarah Blomenberg; and a brother, James Blomenberg.

Private family services will be held with Pastor Daniel Dahling officiating. Burial will follow at Zion Lutheran Cemetery – Friedheim.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that preferred memorials be made to the Friends of Wyneken  ( http://friendsofwyneken.org/ ) and sent to Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home (520 N. 2nd St. Decatur, Indiana 46733)

Arrangements are by Zwick & Jahn Funeral Home in Decatur, Indiana.