Theodore “Ted” Veling, founder and president of Veling, Inc., and longtime Norfolk resident, died Dec. 26, 2019, at his home in Beverly, Mass., surrounded by his family. He was able to celebrate a final joy-filled Christmas with his wife of 47 years, Kathleen (Kathy), son David and his wife Amy, son Matthew and his wife Keryn, grandson James, and Matthew and Keryn’s dog Lucy. Married on Dec. 28, 2019, Matthew and Keryn had rehearsed their vows in Ted’s presence a week earlier and received his wholehearted blessing. Ted’s life was filled to overflowing with faith in God, love for his family and service for others.

Born in Amsterdam, Holland, on Nov. 11, 1930, to Joseph J. H. Veling and Maria (Kilsdonk) Veling, Ted was the second oldest of five siblings. He is survived by older brother J. Frans, sister Ineke Fischer and youngest brother Anthony. His brother Joseph predeceased him. In May 1940, Germany invaded Holland, and Ted’s family lived under Nazi occupation for the next five years. Ted’s experiences during that time, not just the cruelty and horror but the generosity and self-sacrifice, shaped the rest of his life.

Ted arrived in the United States on June 6,1946, and later joined the U.S. army as a corporal during the Korean War. He spent the majority of his service time working with soldiers who returned from combat suffering from PTSD. His naturalization was delayed by his time in the army, but he proudly became a U.S. citizen on Nov. 13, 1953.

Ted was a member of the Avon Fire Department, co-founder of the Winsted Area Day Care, founding member of the Colebrook Lions Club, executive director of the United Way of Northwest Connecticut, among others. He was also regularly called upon to serve on various building committees, including the renovation of the Regional High School and the Norfolk Ambulance garage. 

No other community organization held his heart the way Foothills Visiting Nurse did. He joined the agency when it consisted of a single nurse and a part-time bookkeeper/receptionist. Volunteering as president, Ted spent the next 47 years building it into the thriving agency it is today. It was Ted’s desire to provide compassionate, home-based care throughout Northwest Connecticut to all who required it, and he lived to see his plan to fruition.

Throughout his life, Ted’s deep faith was a source of strength and comfort, and he remained actively involved in the Catholic church until his body no longer allowed it. He enjoyed sharing his Catholic faith with children as a CCD teacher and a eucharistic minister, but it was training the next generation as altar servers that he treasured the most. 

Ted’s family held a small, private service on Jan. 2, 2020, in Beverly, Mass. A public Mass of Christian Burial and celebration of life will be held on June 27, 2020, at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Church in Norfolk. A reception will follow.In lieu of flowers, his family requests donations in Ted’s name to Foothills VNA in Winsted. Additionally, Ted’s son David is training to run in the Boston Marathon in September to raise money for Boston Children’s Hospital, where Ted’s grandson James has received care for the past five years. Donations may be made in Ted’s name through David’s fundraising page at http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/teamveling.