Palestine High School Alumni Association

Theodore Stuart Maffitt Jr

03 / 11 / 1923  –  01 / 19 / 2007

“Why is Ted so strong for Uncle Sam’s navy?”

Funeral services for Theodore Stuart (Ted) Maffitt, Jr., of Palestine will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 23, 2007, at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church with the Rev. Sam Boyd and the Rev. David Price officiating. Burial will follow at Palestine City Cemetery under the direction of Herrington/Land of Memory Funeral Home.

Theodore Stuart Maffitt Jr. died Friday, January 19, 2007, in a Tyler hospital.

Ted was born March 11, 1923, in Palestine, Texas to Theodore Stuart Maffitt and Anna Josephine Helm Maffitt.

He attended school in Palestine and graduated in 1940 from Palestine High School. After graduation, he attended college at Texas A&M. In 1942 he enlisted in the US Army and served his country on active duty for 4 years. He fought in France and Germany with the 63rd Infantry Division as an 81mm mortar forward observer with “H” Company of the 254th Infantry regiment in the Battle of the Bulge. He earned the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star medal, Meritorious Service medal, Good Conduct medal, American Theatre medal, European Theatre medal with three battle stars for Ardennes/Alsace, Rheinland and Central Europe, World War II Victory medal, Army of Occupation medal with Germany clasp, Presidential Unit Citation with two clusters, Army Reserve medal, and the French Croix de Guerre w/ Palm.

After serving his country he returned to Texas A&M University where he received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree. In 1948 he joined his father in the firm of Maffitt & Maffitt, Architects here in Palestine.

He was instrumental in reactivating the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas National Guard and retired from that organization as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1965.

Ted married Patricia Jean Wheeler of Palestine in 1947 and they were the parents of four daughters, Mrs. Paul (Andrea) Morris of Atlanta, GA, Mrs. Harold (Angela) Woodard of Palestine, Mrs. Lyndon (Stuart Anne) Fox of Brownfield, and Miss Allison Jay Maffitt of Houston. He is the grandfather of 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Patricia Maffitt preceded him in death in 1980.

After the death of his father, Ted continued to practice architecture in Palestine for a total of 35 years and will be remembered for such buildings as the Palestine High School, Palestine City Hall, City Police Station, City Central Fire Station, Royall Memorial Band Stand, TXU Office Building, Palestine Civic Center, Department of Public Safety Office Building, Texas National Guard Armory and the Trinity Valley Community College.

Ted Maffitt served the profession of architecture as president of the Texas Society of Architects and as National American Institute of Architects director from Texas. He was appointed by two Texas Governors as Chairman of the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, received Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects in 1978 and received the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Texas Society of Architects in 1988. He also received the outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University.

In 1980, Ted returned to Texas A&M as Professor and associate Dean of the College of Architecture retiring in 1990 as Professor Emeritus.

In 1985, he married the former Ann Boyd Royall and has lived happily ever after.

Pallbearers will be grandsons Jon Paul Morris, Jed Morris, Jeremiah Maffitt Morris, Theodore Stuart Woodard, Samuel Woodard, Brian Fox, Bradley Fox, Chadd French, John Morgan, Trace Jeffus, Tucker Royall, Jr. Andrew Royall, Nathan Royall, and Royall Sidford.

Honorary pallbearers will be George Loving, John Only Greer, Robert Lemond, Tom Bullock, Dave Braden, Mike Chennault, Paul Elliott, Paul Morris, Lyndon Fox, Dr. Stan Skrepnek, Jim Crook, Don Haynes, Tucker Royall, Dave Braden, Robert Alexander and Paul Herrington.

Visitation will be 5 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 22, 2007, at Herrington / Land of Memory Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Texas Architectural Foundation, Patricia J. Maffitt Scholarship Fund at Texas A&M University; the American Cancer Society, or the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church.

Source: Palestine Herald-Press 01-21-2007