Theodore Herzl Teplow
To view the service recording click here.
Theodore “Ted” Teplow 1928-2024
Theodore Herzl Teplow, died peacefully on November 19, 2024 in Plymouth, MA. He is survived by four of his five children, Rachel, David, Evan and Jon. His daughter, Deborah, predeceased him in 2007 at the age of 46. His wife of 68 years, Charlotte, predeceased him in 2021 at 88. He is also survived by twelve grandchildren, Nathan, Alisha, Sophie, Lily, Sara, Harry, Benjamin, Maya, Daniel, Lucca, Tyler and Eliza; two great-grandchildren, Max and Charlotte, with one more on the way; and a sister, Carol. His brother, Josef, predeceased him in 1990.
His beloved family extends to his wife’s sister Muriel and her husband Moe, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Also, to his parents’ twelve siblings – in particular, the dynamic businessman and philanthropist Dewey David Stone.
He was a model father, devoted husband, loving grandfather, and unfailingly, a gentleman. He made sure to be home for dinner with his family every night and always helped with household chores. He was an excellent student, first in his class at both Brockton High School and the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, NY. He was proud of his two years of service in the Korean War. He later joined the Naval Reserve, retiring at 65 at the rank of Commander.
After the war, he graduated from Harvard Business School and went to work at Crosby Valve and Gage, where he spent all his working life. The company prospered under his leadership with his able partner, cousin Hugh Stone. They shared that prosperity with the employees in one of the first employee stock ownership programs (ESOP). He got great pleasure seeing every Crosby employee earn significant windfalls when the company was acquired.
He delighted in philanthropic work. The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel and Hebrew College in Newton, MA were central, a way to carry on the legacy of his Uncle Dewey and his father-in-law Dr. Harry Savitz, respectively. He took yearly trips to see what scientific advances they were making at Weizmann, often bringing children or grandchildren. His signature contribution at Hebrew College, where he served as Chairman of the Board, was in heading the presidential search committee that found David Gordis, who served for fifteen years and raised the college’s reach and standing.
He was never happier than when he was at his summer home on Cape Cod, raising the flag or shucking corn with his grandkids, and happiest of all when he was sailing his wooden Herreshoff, Safety Valve.
Funeral services will be at Congregation Or Atid in Wayland on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:30pm. Burial will follow. Shiva will take place from 4:30 to 7:00 back at Congregation Or Atid and on Monday, November 25, from 6:00 to 8:00 at Mr. Teplow’s Cambridge apartment. There will be a virtual Shiva on Tuesday, November 26 at 2:00 EST. Click here to join. Meeting ID: 867 1375 0230 Passcode: 776357 Ted’s sister Carol will be sitting Shiva on Tuesday, November 26, from 6:00 to 8:00 at the home of Jill and Gilbert Schiffer, 44 Deborah Sampson Street in Sharon.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ted’s memory may be made to the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, 633 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 or Combined Jewish Philanthropies, 126 High Street, Boston, MA 02110-2700 or Hebrew College, 1860 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02466.