Obituary of Thaddeus \ Lawrence Clemens

Thaddeus (Ted) Lawrence Clemens, 88, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, formerly of San Diego, California, passed peacefully on July 20, 2012 after a long fight against cancer. He is survived by his wife Patti; son, Larry Clemens (Roni) of San Diego; daughter, Eileen Clemens Granfors (Patrick) of Santa Clarita, step- children Nancy Krall (Rudy) of Albuquerque, and David Rybarczyk (Kathleen) of Phoenix, Az. He has five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Ted was born in Miami, Florida, and as a child moved to California in 1926. After his father passed away in his teenage years, he and his mother moved temporarily to Easton, Pennsylvania to live with relatives. He returned to San Diego ( Mission Beach) and attended La Jolla High School. On May 29,1941, at age 17, he left high school to join the U.S. Navy, but was allowed to receive his high school diploma early to serve in the Navy. Ted loved the military and his country. During World War II, he served proudly on the USS Enterprise (V-1 Division) (CV6) from November 1941 †August 1944, and saw combat duty in the South Pacific throughout the war. He was on board the Enterprise and in the vicinity of Honolulu when the attack of Pearl Harbor occurred. After returning from the war in 1944, Ted married the girl next door, Joyce Ord (deceased). Ted completed his enlistment with the Navy and joined the Army Air Corps in October, 1947 for a short stint, before qualifying for Officers' Candidate School in the Army where he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on December 17, 1948.. While in the Army, Ted served in Germany as Commander of Transportation in Frankfurt. Upon returning to the USA, Ted went on to a distinguished career in the Army Reserve where he rose to the rank of Major. He made a career in the Federal Civil Service. Ted retired in 1979 and married the love of his life, Patti. They were life-companions and were never apart for even a day. Patti was his angel and provided him with unending love, happiness, support, and devotion. Ted was a true patriot, who believed strongly in the United States military and their role in protecting America's freedoms. He could be seen every day wearing his ball cap with the "USS Enterprise" emblazoned on the bill. His sharp mind and long memory provided countless stories and accounts of WWII and his experiences traveling to far- away places for the military. During his retirement, he took great joy in traveling in his RV with his beloved wife, Patti. Their years of RV-ing provided a chance to explore more of the state, national, and military parks of our nation. Taking cruises also gave his retirement years a source of adventure. He was truly one of the leaders of the "Greatest Generation." A sincere thank-you to Melissa and Della, the Hospice caregivers that provided extraordinary comfort and care. In Lieu of Flowers, a contribution to New Mexico Animal Humane Society would be greatly appreciated. Ted will be interred at the Santa Fe National Cemetery at a later date.