THEODORE WALL: 1921 — 2008: He practiced without preaching

Up in Bigfork, Mont., there is a place where Theodore Wall and his wife, Shirley, would just listen. The soft, rustling water would relax the two as they read, often lounging in a hammock or enjoying a good book next to the water. It was that kind of peace and tranquillity the couple shared throughout their 24 years of marriage.

“It was a very special place for us,” Shirley Wall said. “He was a wonderful husband. We had a very happy marriage.”

A teacher at OCC for 39 years, Theodore “Ted” Wall died June 14 of bone marrow cancer. He was 86.

Formerly a minister in the Methodist church for about 20 years, Wall came to OCC in 1969 to teach religion. He gave students the gift of perspective when it came to religion as the world religions teacher and religious studies department chairman.

“His responsibility as a teacher was to present all religions, and he did so quite professionally,” his step-daughter, Christine Milner, said. “Even though in his own personal life he was a devout Christian, he was careful in the classroom to present a wide perspective.”

Over the years, he developed a style that pushed students to learn about various religions from different angles. He would often encourage them to attend two religious services the students previously knew nothing about in order to engage in other cultures.

“While in his personal life he practiced Christianity, when he came to teach in the classroom he did not preach or proselytize,” said Paul Asim, dean of the division of social and behavioral sciences. “When you look at the world situation, regional conflicts and others, programs like his teaching would serve as a great bridge builder.”

Milner and Wall described Ted Wall as a “shoulder to the plow” type of character. Milner said he must have taught thousands of students over the years, and many were thankful for it.

“He was a very well respected teacher, much loved by students,” Milner said. “It was unusual for him to go out to dinner somewhere and not have a student come up and thank him.”

Wall and his wife traveled extensively over the years. In romantic fashion, he once asked his wife where she would want to go if she could go anywhere in the world. She said Tahiti, and they were on their way.

In 1980, Wall went on a three-month quest to visit churches, shrines, synagogues, temples and mosques across the globe. He brought those experiences back to the classroom for his students.

Wall, a Laguna Beach resident, is survived by Shirley, and six children: Aletha Green, Carolyn Richmond, Stephen Wall, Susan Bobay, Stephen Corley and Milner, as well as nine grandchildren.

Memorial services will be at 2:30 p.m. today at Pacific View Memorial Park and Mortuary in Corona del Mar. There will be a reception following the services at the Newport Beach Marriott Bayview.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the OCC Foundation for scholarships under Ted Wall’s name. For more information, call (714) 432-5707.

DANIEL TEDFORD may be reached at (714) 966-4632 or at [email protected].