Ted Oelegeschlager, age 70, of Winston, MT

Our dear friend William Theodore Oelegeschlager of Winston, MT passed on May 16, 2025 at Fort Harrison VA Hospital after a short illness. Ted was born in Avon Park, FL on October 4, 1954. Ted’s wife, Jolene Barbeau Oelegeschlager (Jo) preceded him in death in November 2022. Ted is survived by his stepbrother, Donald Robert Loomis, Jr. of Altamonte Springs, FL.

While Ted’s early life began in Florida, as a “military brat,” his family relocated and lived throughout the east coast, including stops in New York and Virginia. For a time, his family was also stationed in Europe. Ted’s high school years were spent in Florida, where he was most proud of his prowess as a lifeguard and teaching others to swim. He never had to save anyone from drowning, fortunately. Ted enlisted in the Air Force at 17, and upon graduating from boot camp, was stationed in Germany during the height of the Vietnam War. Always a self taught artist, upon returning home from military service, Ted worked in a tattoo parlor sketching designs for clients and the tattooists, and then he had an epiphany…why not tattoo as well? So began his great adventure. Practicing on grapefruit and then himself, Ted honed his tattoo skills and hit the road. He traveled throughout the south and the west setting up shop in local biker bars tattooing all who were interested. He had a good client base. It was during this time he acquired the nickname by which he would be known for the rest of his life…Tattoo Ted.

In his mid-30’s, Ted would make what he called the first great decision of his life…he quit the vagabond life he was living and relocated with his first wife to God’s Country, the great state of Montana and Helena, and he never left. Ted had an expansive resume here. Beginning as an 18-wheel driver shepherding cattle, he morphed to a field technician at Hydrometrics in Helena, and finally as a nanny in East Helena. Imagine, a Merle Haggard looking fatherly nanny in the 90’s with full sleeves. Ted retired in his 40’s from chronic, debilitating pain which he would battle for the rest of his life. It was during this time, after a divorce from his first wife that Ted met his soul mate, Jo, and he made the second great decision in his life by asking her to marry him. Jo and Ted were married in Townsend in 1998, and they moved to the community of Winston where they resided in their paradise until their passing.

Ted loved four things fiercely. He loved Jo; he loved Montana and how it saved his life, he loved his Winston community and the plot of paradise he and Jo grew there; and he loved his friends. Not having children of their own, Ted was also immensely proud of his step-grandchildren. Drawing and practicing his art, photographing landscapes and wildlife, tinkering with his many old trucks, taking drives with Jo around Canyon Ferry and the state, following Nascar, listening to John Prine, and helping his friends with whatever they might need were all Ted’s hobbies. After Jo passed, Ted could often be found in the cool of the mornings and evenings sitting in his modified walker by the Winston train tracks watching a little “Highway 12” TV pass by. Many a passersby would stop and chat to check on him and catch up. Ted’s kind and thoughtful soul had a way of drawing others to him…like moths to a light.

After the love of his life passed, Ted would make the final best decision of his life. As a means to overcome his grief and gain physical strength to take better care of himself, Ted joined the Adaptive Performance Center Gym in Helena for veterans. Several times a week Ted would drive to town to join this community where his body would grow stronger and his soul would be nourished by the men and women and their shared experiences. Ted cherished this community and the friendships he formed. In lieu of flowers, Ted would love donations to be made in his honor to the Adaptive Performance Center Gym in Helena.

Suffering from debilitating pain in his back and joints for so much of his life, to include more joint replacements than Lee Majors in the Six Million Dollar Man TV show in the 1970’s, and then cancer, Ted would always remark how so very thankful he was for the care he received from the many doctors who worked with him at Fort Harrison. He loved you deeply, and your care enabled him to live his life as fully as possible.

An interment service to celebrate Ted will be held at the Fort Harrison Veterans Cemetery on Wednesday, July 30th, at 10:30 a.m. You are with God now, my friend, and with Jo. Thank you for your love in this life, your guidance, and our laughter. You mattered deeply to so many (I know as I found the folder stuffed with their notes of love and admiration for you), and you are missed. I know you are not really gone, but waiting on the other side…until we meet again.

Service Schedule

Military Honors

10:30 AM

Wednesday July 30, 2025

Montana State Veteran Cemetery

1550 Heroes Rd

Helena, MT

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