Funeral services for Ted Idleman, 84, of Wayne will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, October 12, 2024 at the Purcell First Baptist Church. Interment will be at Hillside Cemetery in Purcell under the direction of the Wilson-Little Funeral Home of Purcell.
Mr. Idleman passed away Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
Ted was born July 16, 1940 at his parent’s farm in the Bryant Community, the 11th child of Carrie Mae (Hawkins) Idleman and Lester Ray Idleman.
At the early age of 7, he moved with his mother and sister Fannie to Wayne, after his father’s sudden passing. Ted graduated from Wayne High School with the Bulldog Class of 1958.
He married his high school sweetheart Jo Tippit, on June 10, 1960 in Wayne. Together they raised two daughters, Kim and Sheila. They lived in three different houses, all on Highway 59 in their 64 years of marriage. Ted stayed busy, and had many jobs throughout the years, and he often said that he “had a job from the time he was 10 years old.” He worked as a walking mail carrier for the United States Postal Service in Purcell and as an auctioneer for more than 40 years.
Ted was a familiar face at several area school Ag Bonus Auctions, and he loved giving of his time. His heart was always back home on the farm, and tending to his cattle was his favorite. Ted genuinely loved people. He was a tad bit onery, and always had a smile. He cherished Jo and his girls, and especially his grandchildren. He enjoyed camping and lake trips, and later RV trips with good friends, Gary and Linda Couch.
He was a man of great faith, and a longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Purcell, where he served as Deacon. He will be dearly missed!
He was preceded in death by his parents, Les and Carrie Mae Idleman; sisters, Mattie Bele Mullins, Marie Crabtree and Lena Vaughn and his brothers, Albert, Frank, Rudy, Lloyd, Ray and Tom.
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Jo Idleman; daughters, Kimila Bates and husband, Jim, of Washington and Sheila Shofner and husband, Mark, of Wayne; sister, Fannie Lou Green of Purcell; sister-in-law, Jane Wilbanks of Purcell; five grandchildren, Ashley, Kynsey, Cody, Katie and Shelby; 12 great-grandchildren, Delayney, Dallas, Gavin, Easton, Korbyn, Grayson, Kamry, Jentri, Corbin, Jay, Parker and Everly; several nieces and nephews and a host of other family and friends.
Online condolences may be made at www.wilsonlittle.com.