Theodore Poehlmann

WOODSTOCK—Theodore “Ted” Poehlmann,80, of Woodstock, passed away Tuesday, November 15,2011, at the Inpatient Unit of the Hospice of Northeastern Illinois, Woodstock.

He was born May 15,1931, in Chicago, to the late Theodore and Gertrude (nee Klopsch) Poehlmann.  He married Penelope Hibbert on March 31,1962, in Lincolnwood.

Ted was a 1949 graduate of Shurz High School in Chicago, he attended the University of Illinois at Navy Pier, and went on to graduate from the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana in 1953, and received his Juris Doctor from   Northwestern Law School in 1959.

Ted was a kind and compassionate man, who loved and enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, to whom he was known as Poppy.

During college, he joined the ROTC program and went on to become a captain in the Army, who was in charge of a missile station in California, during the Korean War.  Following active duty, he remained in the Army reserves as acting inspector general of the Chicagoland reserve units.

Ted practiced law in Chicago for 10 years, ran for the Illinois State Senate as a Republican in 1964, and went on to practice general law in Woodstock for 39 years.  He was a member of the McHenry, Illinois, American, and International Bar Associations.

He was a Cub Scout Pack Master at Northwood Elementary School and was active in the Indian Guides with his sons.  With his wife, Ted participated in the foster child program, was very involved as a volunteer in District 200, and the Friends of the Opera House in Woodstock, of which he had been the chairman of the board for six years.  He was a member of the Woodfest board in the 1980s.  His passion in life was sailing.  The Poehlmanns were a host family, for nine years, in the Experiment for International Living and also hosted an AFS student from the Woodstock High School.

In addition to his wife, Penny, survivors include his children, Christopher (Kate) of Philadelphia and Jeffrey (Wiloe) Poehlmann of Los Angeles, and Holly (Francois) Caillaud of Charlotte, NC; grandchildren, Theo and Charlotte Poehlmann, Aubrey Poehlmann, and Julien and Margot Caillaud; sister-in-law, Nancy (Tom) Murray of Radford, VA; and dear friend and fellow attorney, Bill Elman of Harvard.

A private celebration of Ted’s life will be held at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Ted’s name may be made to The Friends of the Opera House, 121 W. Van Buren St., Woodstock, IL 60098 or 815-338-5300, or to the Hospice Foundation of Northeastern Illinois to support the Woodstock Hospice Home Campaign (please make your check payable to the Hospice Foundation and note the campaign on the check, memo line), 405 Lake Zurich Rd., Barrington, IL 60010, 224-770-2413, or www.hospiceanswers.org

A private celebration of Ted's life will be held at a later date.