Theodore B. Sazama

Theodore B. Sazama, 100, of St. Paul, passed away Monday March 8, 2021 at the Howard County Medical Center in St. Paul. 

Graveside Services with Military Honors will be at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul.  A Time of Fellowship celebrating the lives of Ted & Dorothy will be held from 11:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M. on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at the St. Paul Civic Center.  Jacobsen-Greenway-Dietz Funeral Home in St. Paul is assisting the family.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date.

Ted was born on August 20, 1920 in St. Paul, Nebraska.  He grew up and attended schools in Howard County and graduated from St. Paul High School.  He studied at the University of Lincoln for several years.

Ted and Dorothy first met when they were teenagers as Ted was working in the field.  Ted would see Dorothy riding her bike to school and would make sure of perfect timing to be close to the end of the field so he could say “Hi” when she rode by. Ted entered the Navy on July 7th, 1942, serving in World War II on the USS San Jacinto in the Pacific Theater.  They married April 2, 1943 when he came home on leave.  Dorothy & Ted lived in Chicago while Ted was receiving training, when he left for overseas Dorothy returned to Nebraska to teach school.  Ted had many stories from his Navy career, and after an honorable discharge from service he came back to St. Paul to engage in farming and raising cattle.  Ted was very involved in the community, serving on many boards throughout his lifetime.  Ted could also be seen at the Red Cross blood drives, giving over 20 gallons of blood. In 2015, he published a book “From Nebraska to Tokyo” giving his personal account of experiences in WWII. 

Ted & Dorothy farmed & ranched south of St. Paul on the Brezina home place and the Scott farm for many years, building their dream home in 1982 on the hill east of St Paul. They enjoyed taking trips especially to Europe. Ted enjoyed working in his shop, fishing, woodworking and spending time with family and friends.  Upon retirement in their late nineties, they lived at Matelyn enjoying the many friends, before they both moved to Brookefield Park in St. Paul in 2019.  Dorothy passed away on February 24, 2021.

Ted & Dorothy have two sons & spouses, Steve & LarryAnn of Decatur, Texas and Jon & Sylvie of Kearney, Nebraska; 6 grandchildren & their spouses, Todd and Heather Sazama, Mark and Rachel Sazama, Tracie and Mike Gumpenberger, Seth and Danielle Sazama, Abbie and Jared Mauler, and Maggie and Chris Gannon; 1 step-grandchild, Michaela Williams, 14 great-grandchildren & 1 great-grand child on the way; 1 step-great-granddaughter; half-brother and his wife, Jed & Kathleen Sazama of Houston, Texas; sister-in-law, Marilyn Lanka of Vancouver, Washington; and numerous nephews and nieces.

Ted was preceded in death by his mother, Bessie (Brezina) Sazama; wife, Dorothy; and brother, Wayne.  

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