Obituary: Theodore H. Lichtenfels, 85

Theodore H. Lichtenfels, 85, passed away Nov. 26, with his wife, Ann B. Lichtenfels, at his side. Born in Orange, N.J., he called Rhode Island home for most of his life.

He attended The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., Williams College in Mass., and, in perhaps his most meaningful educational experience, The Experiment in International Living. The Experiment involved home stays throughout Europe and allowed him to develop friendships and understand different cultures in a personal, meaningful way. Along with his fluent German, this experience solidified his belief in the importance of personal connections across boundaries.

After serving in Army intelligence while based in Berlin, Germany, he and his brother moved to Rhode Island in 1957, as business partners owning and managing W.R. Cobb Company. In 1995, he retired from W.R. Cobb.

Unrelentingly driven to contribute to society as a productive member, he turned his time and energy to managing a small orchard in Washington State, with Ann. He was energized by the challenge of learning new skills, gaining different expertise, digging into the details, and connecting in a personal manner with all the orchard employees. And he loved the deep connection to nature required of and offered by farming.

He shared his joy of sailing and his appreciation of the ocean with his children and his grandsons, enthusiastically teaching them the fundamentals of sailing over the generations. Well read, with a penchant for debate, he was never shy about engaging friends and strangers alike in debates, always in the quest for figuring out the hard questions. He never shirked hard work, whether intellectual, physical or simply figuring out a plumbing problem.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Agnes and William Lichtenfels, and his brother, Carl Lichtenfels. His is survived by many who care deeply for him, including his wife Ann Brandon Lichtenfels, his children Roderick, Claire and Christine Lichtenfels, six grandchildren and Ann's children, Bill, Russell and David Brandon.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday Nov. 30 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 65 Third St., East Greenwich. Burial will be private. Visitation prior to the mass will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. in the Hill Funeral Home, 822 Main St., East Greenwich.