83 years old

Marquette

Ted Clark Kagy died peacefully at his home in Marquette, Michigan on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Ted was born in Seattle, Washington to Donald Leckrone Kagy and Beatrice Ellen Kagy (nee Brown) on June 22, 1939. His family lived briefly in San Francisco, Ca., then moved to Hazel Crest, Illinois, where he spent his childhood and teen years, graduating from Thornton High School in 1957.

After a brief stint in the U.S. Army, Ted moved to California, where he spent his time working in construction, fishing and socializing. Ted was a heavy equipment operator, a surveyor and a poet. He was self-taught, having immersed himself in classic and modern literature, scientific journals, newspapers, and anything that caught his interest.

Ted married his first wife Gay Hilliard and they had a son, Joshua Kagy in Marin County, California. He later lived with his partner Marion Levington and her two sons, Eric and David Gottlieb, and together they had a son Ben Kagy and lived in Aptos, California. Ted was married to Maybelle Chang and they lived in Aptos as well. Ted married his current wife Laura Kagy (nee Werronen) and together they had a son, Jackson Kagy and he helped raise her son John Clinton Millman. After his retirement, the family moved to Iron River, Michigan and later settled in Marquette, Michigan where they currently reside.

Ted worked for many years for Granite Construction, retiring in 2002, and he was a proud member of the Operating Engineers Local #3 for 57 years. Ted was an avid fisherman, and he traveled the world when working as an optical alignment surveyor aboard ocean-going vessels, and trained his son Ben on these trips as well.

Ted was an “old-timer” in Alcoholics Anonymous, enjoying over 35 years of sobriety. He developed deep and incredibly abiding friendships with AA members and counted many members among his closest friends, both in California and Michigan.

Ted dealt with an almost two-year battle with throat cancer and died peacefully at home with his family and the assistance of UP Home Health and Hospice.

A memorial is planned for 1:00 pm, March 4, 2023 at Grace Good Shepherd Church, 1450 Hiller Rd., McKinleyville in Humboldt County, Calif. For more information, please email Laura Kagy at laurawkagy@hotmail.com.