Obituary: Theodore Luther Warner, 88, of Yucaipa

Theodore Luther Warner, 88, of Yucaipa, died June 17, 2012, after an auto accident on June 12.

Ted had many passions in his life; his late wife Esther & widow Charlyne, his family, who he thought about & prayed for every day of his life, learning, teaching & many other interests, but the love he had most was for his Lord.

Throughout his life he studied to know more about his God and was very active in his church; teaching Sabbath School classes on most Sabbath mornings for many, many years and in his younger days singing duets with Esther or playing his trombone. As he got older he could be remembered for his whistling to the music of the congregation. Ted enjoyed music and played the piano and organ by ear throughout his life.

After graduation from Pacific Union College with both BA & MA degrees he taught in the Seventh-day Adventist School System for over 30 years.

Ted was dedicated to his teaching career, often spending long hours before and after school working with his students and at times, their parents, teaching and counseling. Classes he taught included Bible, Welding, Body & Fender, Mechanical Arts, English, Math, Biology, Drivers Ed and CA Highway Patrol Bus Instructor. In the evenings he led children and youth activities and organizations like Pathfinders.

Ted loved flying but couldn’t afford the expenses so he taught flying becoming an avid flight instructor (including ground school classes) training students to fly single & multi engine planes. He said he never felt more alive than when he was in the air flying. Once a month for over 30-years he flew for Christian Wings and LEGA, piloting planes with doctors, nurses and medical supplies into hard to reach areas in Mexico; sometimes landing & taking off on very short, narrow, dirt runways, which were really just dirt roads or fields.

Ted took special classes and became a certified Lock Smith, an activity he pursued both before and after he retired. He was a Decorated Army Hero spending his time during World War II as Ward Master and Ambulance Operator.

He also loved heavy equipment operation and drove all types of construction equipment both before his teaching days and during summers. As a young man he worked in the gold, silver & tungsten mines as a heavy equipment operator, then in the woods, skidding logs with a cat, cutting and maintaining roads, logging truck operator and log loader operator.

Additionally, he drove a moving van, operated Seventh-day Adventist Junior Summer Camps and worked as head rig operator and straddle truck operator during summers off from teaching.

Ted first met the woman who would become his partner in life for more than 54 years (Esther Westermeyer) when she lived with her parents just up the hill from his family in La Sierra, CA in the early 1940s. He pursued her like he would later pursue his many other interests in life and convinced her to finally become his wife on May 26, 1946. Into their life 3 children were born, Wesley, who became a Speech-Language Pathologist, and is married to Sonja Nelson (daughter; Melissa), Cher, who became a business owner and is married to Dr. Delmar Tonge (children; Sabrena & Raynold) and Marlena, who became a Medical Office/IT Manager and is married to Abe Gutierrez (son’s; Jason & Jeremy).

After Esther’s death in November of 2000 he met and fell in love with Charlyne Jensen-Wertz. They were married in March of 2002. For more than 10 years he traveled and enjoyed life with the second love of his life.

Ted was born in Los Angeles, CA to Walter & Lena Warner. The oldest of 4 children, he spent his youth in Benton and La Sierra, CA. He is survived by his wife Charlyne, his sister Wilma Perrin’s family & grandchildren, brother Leonard with his family & grandchildren; his children & their spouses & children; stepchildren Larry Wertz, Joyce Harrington, Rodney Wertz & Suzan Corydon & their spouses & children. Ted was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Esther & her parents, John & Mary Westermeyer & her 3 brothers, Marion, Nathan & Roland, his sister Wilma Perrin & brother Wesley, who died in infancy.

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