Submitted by his wife

Ted Myhre was a ‘people person.’ He loved people‚ he loved doing things for people and loved being busy. He was not one to sit on the sidelines and let someone else do the work.

He had a multitude of careers; and he was with the Iowa National Guard during the Korean War; and he retired as a locomotive engineer with the Chicago and North Western Railroad after 30 years of service. He started in the wheel shops and worked his way into train service. He was in freight service and spent the last 17-18 years in passenger service. (This meant he could be home at night and not out on the road.)

When he retired‚ we moved to Bishop Hill‚ in western Illinois; a small village that his great-great grandfather had founded in 1846. Ted was a joiner–VASA‚ Bishop Hill Heritage Association (volunteer‚ Board member‚ and Treasurer of the Association)‚ the Bishop Hill Hi-Society Band (he played the sousa phone or tuba); Galva Arts Council (ran the sound system for the entertainers); the Bishop Hill Volunteer Fire Department; Lincoln Land Rail and the grain train; N.R.H.S.

He was also involved with the Midwest Electric Railway in Mt. Pleasant‚ Iowa‚ which is a part of the Midwest Old Threshers and Settlers Association. In his 33 years as a volunteer member‚ he instituted the CB radio system used by the trolley cars; updated to FM radios as technology advanced; instituted and installed the signal system now used to operate the track signaling; helped repair the old street cars and‚ in general‚ did whatever he saw that needed to be done in the area. He loved kids and took several of them under his wing and taught them how to operate the cars‚ etc.‚ and some of these boys (now young men) are now active and energetic members.

He joined the Fire Department shortly after he had retired. He was watching the State Site personnel burn debris and the wind shifted and the fire headed toward a house nearby. He thought that he could be of some help‚ so he joined the other firefighters and after the fire was out‚ they asked him to join the department. He thought that was a great idea. He was with the department about 5-6 years and loved every minute. He helped update their equipment and he stressed safety-safety-safety. Ironically‚ he was directing traffic at an incident site when he was struck and mortally injured by an oncoming pick-up truck. He went the way he would have wanted to–with his boots on. He was 73 years old.

Ted and I married later in life‚ so we each had children to bring to our marriage. All together we have 5 grown children and 8 grandchildren‚ and we felt/feel blessed with such a wonderful family. He loved the kids‚ but he absolutely adored the grandchildren.

The Bishop Hill Arts Council paid him the nicest tribute in their yearly tourist guide: ‘We will remember Ted fondly as our neighbor who was always willing to tell a story‚ share a smile‚ and lend a helping hand.’