Ted Baze

Ted Baze passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on March 4, 2021 at the age of 86.  Ted was born on July 14,1934 in Post, Texas to Betty and TF (“Cap”) Baze. His Momma preceded him in death when he was just 11 years old. Life after that was unstable and incredibly tough, so Ted joined the Army when he was 15 years old by altering the age on his birth certificate. He became close friends with his bunk mate Carl Blust and would go home with him to Cincinnati where he found a second family. While in the Army, Ted married and to them was born his first daughter, Victoria Lee. But the marriage did not last, and he moved back to Texas in 1953 to be close to his family.

At the age of 20, Ted graduated from Lubbock High School along with Buddy Holly who wrote in Ted’s yearbook that he was a “real swell guy”. While finishing high school and working as a taxicab dispatcher, he met Betty Jo Peevy. He offered to personally drive her and two friends anywhere they wanted to go. He sat next to Betty Jo and “when I touched her arm it was an experience and sensation that I have never had before and one that thrilled me ever since”.

After asking her to marry him multiple times, Betty called on a Friday afternoon in January 1956 and suggested they get married the next day. It was a small ceremony in the Minister’s parlor witnessed by their best friends, Robbie and Glenn Roberts. Dad spent all his money ($20) on the service, blood test and license. Robbie treated them to a celebratory steak dinner at the Barn Door and Betty had just enough money for the hotel room. The 65-year marriage journey had begun!

Their first big adventure as a couple took them to Los Angeles where Ted earned a degree in broadcasting from UCLA. His first job was in Tyler, Texas as an announcer and weatherman. He quickly decided that his talents were behind the camera, so he found a directing job in San Antonio. After one year, Ted was offered his first management job in Dallas, Texas.

In 1961, Ted and Betty purchased their first house in Oak Cliff, Texas and soon after Timothy Fletcher was born. Throughout his career, Ted was always looking for more responsibility and better pay. His aspirations took his family to Kansas City where his second daughter, Sharon Teresa was born. And then to Cleveland, Ohio where his second son, Ronald Everett was born.  Betty was always the wind beneath his wings, supporting him through the long, grueling hours he spent working and multiple moves across the country. The years he worked in Philadelphia were pivotal in providing the contacts and knowledge he needed to create his dream of starting his own television station.

His monumental career achievement still stands today – KGMC-TV (now KOCB) in Oklahoma City. Ted found someone to lend him the money to get started and secure a television license. He took it from there and built his dream. He demanded a lot from the people who worked for him and in return he provided a good living, loyalty, leadership, knowledge, and most importantly life-long friendship. The station was sold in 1994 allowing Ted and Betty to retire in Flower Mound, Texas where they built their dream home.

Retirement soon became very busy when Ted was elected to and served on the Flower Mound City Council for 3 years.

Ted and Betty loved international travel and have visited Russia, Vietnam, India, Australia, France, England, Scotland, Greece, Morocco, Ireland, Austria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Turkey, Israel, Italy, Germany, Amsterdam, Switzerland, Malta, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Poland, Wales, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Panama, Spain, Thailand, Sweden, Portugal, China, Dutch West Indies, British Isles, Costa Rica, Canada, Cambodia and his all-time favorite - New Zealand. They also visited all 50 US states.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father; brother, Johnny and sister-in-law Thelma; sister, Jodell and brother-in-law Elmer and sister, Honarah and brother-in-law Dub.

Ted is survived by his brother, Dan and wife Sherry; children, Victoria and husband Paul, Tim and wife Susan, Sharon and husband Aaron, Ron and wife Dawn; eleven grandchildren, Amanda and husband Richard, Chris and wife Diedra, Chadwick, Meghan, Christopher, Kelsey, Hannah, Trent, Taryn, Maetison and Caden; two great grandchildren, Liam and Jacob and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Visitation will be held from 1:00 - 3:00 pm on Saturday, March 27, 2021 at Allen Family Funeral Options. At 2:00 pm there will be sharing of Words of Remembrance, also at Allen Family Funeral Options.

For those who cannot attend, the 2pm Remembrance will be webcast live and recorded for later viewing at http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/49672

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made, In Ted’s name, to the Samaritan’s Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org/