Theodore Saker Sr

Theodore Richard Saker Sr. of Mason passed away peacefully at home May 4, 2015, surrounded by his beloved wife of 56 years and his family. He was 93.

Ted was born March 14, 1922, in Niles, Ohio, to Joseph and Victoria Saker. He grew up in Warren and graduated from Warren Harding High School in 1940. Ted earned a Bachelor's Degree in History, from John Carroll University in Cleveland. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1942 to 1944, Ted received his law degree from Georgetown University Law School in 1947. He then returned to Warren to practice law and began his long involvement in the Democratic Party of Ohio. Ted also was a real estate entrepreneur and designed and built homes in Northeast Ohio.

On Aug. 30, 1958, he and Patricia (Pat) Abowd married at St. Wendelin Church in Fostoria, Ohio. They moved to Columbus where Ted was first assistant attorney general in the administration of Gov. Michael V. DiSalle. After government service, Ted founded American Bancorporation, a network of local banks across Ohio. He returned to private practice in 1976, never turning away anyone he could help, and he retired in 1999

Ted and Pat reared seven children in Columbus and later enjoyed many happy winters in South Palm Beach, Florida. In 2003, they moved to Mason. He was a voracious reader, a crossword puzzle wizard, and a movie buff. He always found creative ways of entertaining his family and anyone who came to the Saker home. Ted was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and attended daily Mass.

Saker is survived by his cherished wife Pat; children Anne Saker, Theodore R. (Desiree) Saker Jr., Victoria (Keith) Woeste , Dennis Saker, Denise Saker, Susan (Scott) Stegman, Alice (David) Hrdy; grandchildren Sarah, Theodore, and Anthony Saker; Helen, Margaret, Joseph, and Phillip Woeste; Samuel, Grace, Daniel, and Henry Kunkel; Luke, Audrey, and Natalie Stegman; Courtney, Martha, and James Theodore Hrdy; plus many nieces and nephews and extended family.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Genevieve Saker, Sylvia McCauley, Virginia Kenski, and Elizabeth Showacre, and brother Joseph M. Saker Jr.

Theodore enjoyed Reading, Movies, Coin Collecting, and was a Scholar of Music. He also enjoyed painting, crochet, loved sports, and was an avid poet.

Visitation will be 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. May 8, 2015 at St. Susanna Catholic Church in Mason, with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 1:00 p.m. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Church Cemetery in Warren. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the charity of your choice.

Ted was a wonderful poet and loved poetry. One of his favorite poems is WH Auden's Stop all the clocks, Cut off the telephone

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.