August 18, 1925 – Aug. 22, 2010

Born to Herman Schassberger and Wilhelmine Ehrisman on Aug. 18, 1925, in New York City, NY, Ted Schassberger passed away August 22, 2010. He was 85 years old.

In 1923, Teds family had moved from Germany to New York. When his mother died prior to Teds first birthday, his father took Ted and his older sister, Anneliese, back to Germany to be raised by the maternal grandparents in Hohenklingen.

In 1935, when Ted was 10 years old, his stepmother picked him up and sailed back to the U.S. settling in Yonkers, NY. After graduating from Saunders High School, he joined the Air Corp in 1943, becoming a navigator with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Ted then attended the Colorado School of Mines, graduating in 1950 with a degree in Geological Engineering. After working a short time for the U. S. Geological Service out of Denver, CO, he was employed by Climax Mining Co., located in Climax, CO.

In 1954, Ted married Ruth Karvelis Wells and they moved to Lakewood, CO, where Ted then went to work for a mining company, Amax, Inc., which had taken over Climax. He later became vice president of the Western Exploration Division of Amax, Inc., and traveled to such places as Alaska, Canada, Iran, Chile, Peru, Australia and NE Greenland in search of mining properties. Daughter, Lisa was born in 1956 and the family moved to Evergreen, CO in 1965.

In 1985, Ted and Ruth retired to Bend, OR, where Ted enjoyed working on the acreage and planting vegetable gardens. Teds volunteer service in Bend included terms on the Periodic Review Citizens Advisory Committee, the Deschutes County Budget Committee, the Board of Equalization, the Public Works Equipment Advisory Committee, and he was on the Deschutes County Planning commission from 1988-1999. He also volunteered at the High Desert Museum Curatorial Department. He enjoyed belonging to the Wednesday night picnic group and the C.O.O.R.S. (Central Oregon Oil and Rock Society) luncheon group.

Ted is survived by his wife of 56 years, Ruth, and his two children, Kenton L. Schassberger of Westminster, CO, and daughter, Lisa A. Druckenmiller (son-in-law, Patrick) and granddaughter, Maggie Druckenmiller of Fairbanks, Alaska, and sister, Helena Hartig of New York City, NY.

A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, August 29, from 4:30 to 6:30 at Sunrise Village Club House, 19560 Sunshine Way. Contributions may be made to Volunteers in Medicine, 2300 Neff Rd., Bend, OR 97701, or High Desert Museum, 59800 S. Hwy 97, Bend, OR 97702.