Father Ted was ordained a priest on February 22, 1959. He served several churches in Minneapolis and St. Paul, and taught at the University of St. Thomas. When he had a serious heart attack in 1983, he left teaching for full-time parish work at St. Hedwig, where he had been assigned in 1973 as the temporary weekend priest.

During his 30 year tenture, Father Ted built the parish into a strong presence in the community, culminating in the 2003 River Village senior housing project in collaboration with Catholic Eldercare. Membership grew from fewer than 100 failies to more than 400 today, and they come from 41 zip codes.

Father Ted was well liked by his parishioners. He led rather than pushed. He never asked for money. He joked every year that envelopes were provided only because people insisted on filling them up. His sense of humor lifted us up. He was described as a "people's priest" because of his ability to relate to people at many levels. He was a man of amny interests, but his consuming passion was model trains, which he set up each Christmas for visitors to enjoy.

Father Ted retired in 1998, but he still celebrated one mass each weekend until the week before he died. He continues to remain in the hearts and prayers of us all. He is remembered as the leader, teacher and friend he has been to generations of St. Hedwig parishioners. Eternal rest, faithful priest.