Theodore Wayne Doerr

Theodore Wayne Doerr

April 30, 1934 – March 12, 2021

Theodore “Ted” Wayne Doerr, 86, passed away Friday, March 12, 2021, at his home in Lovell.

Ted was born April 30, 1934, to Adolph and Frieda Doerr. He was raised outside of Lovell on a farm with sisters Doris, Phyllis and Phyrn. He went to elementary school in Kane and graduated from Lovell High School.

As a teen, Ted rode his horse from his home east of Lovell to Kane to the local mercantile to buy candy and hang out with the local men that were gathered around an old wood stove sipping coffee. He would also ride to Kane to the dances.

He was a prankster. He and a young friend would trap to earn money. They would sell the hides to a Lovell merchant and in the same day sneak to the back of the store, steal the hides back and resell the same hides to him.

He worked on the farm with his dad, who raised short-horned red Angus cows. He helped his dad put up hay, raise chickens and milk cows. Ted helped his mother take eggs and cream to the co-op to sell. Being the only son, Ted was raised to work very hard and had little time to socialize except on Sundays when the family went to the Lutheran Church.

After high school Ted met Rosalynd Schmidt. They dated during that summer and were married in 1956. They moved to Kirkland, Washington, where he served in the Army as a tank mechanic at Fort Lewis where two of their children were born. Two years later they moved to Philipsburg, Montana. Ted worked road construction for Schmidt Construction for one year before they moved to Lovell, where he worked with cattle for the Hy Bischoff Ranch. After they moved to Lovell they had four more children. Later, he worked for his father on the family farm.

A few years later he leased farm land outside of Lovell from the Wyoming Game and Fish. For two years they moved several times until they bought the house on Shoshone Avenue for $8,000. Ted started working for Admiral Transport and later bought three trucks and formed his own business as Doerr & Sons Wind Drinker Transport. Although Ted and Rosalynd later divorced, they still had a special place in each others’ heart. She helped with the business, taking care of the bookkeeping. Ted drove semis for nearly 20 years until, due to failing health, he retired at 60.

For several summers he worked for Dave Ramsey in Little Sunlight, irrigating land on the elk refuge for the Wyoming Game and Fish.

Ted loved to work on his trucks with his three sons, Dale, Wyatt and Chris. He enjoyed fishing and camping, and he loved his dogs. He loved to farm and work the land to produce a good crop. He was an excellent farmer and loved being outside, working with his wife, Rosalynd, sons Dale, Wyatt and Chris and his three daughters.

Ted loved Native American Indian culture and attended many powwows in Cody and Pryor Town, Montana. He enjoyed rock hunting, picnicking and exploring old roads with his family.

He lived out his life in his home on Shoshone Avenue with his family nearby. He took care of his yard until his health would no longer allow. His sisters Phyrn Opp and Phyllis Fringer did much to care for his yard. His family came regularly to visit, take him on drives and help with his home until his death.

Ted was very well known in Lovell and will be very much missed.

Ted was preceded in death by his parents, son Chris Doerr, sister Doris Baxendale and son-in-law Gene Schmidt.

He is survived by his close, loving friend, Rosalynd Doerr; children Terre Johnsey, Dale (Teresa) Doerr, Heidi Schmidt, Bonnie Asay and Wyatt (Amy) Doerr; grandchildren Hayley Campbell, Taylor and Kyle Asay and Terrance Schmidt; great-grandchildren Skylla Campbell, Emery Schmidt and one on the way; and sisters Phyrn (Norman) Opp, Phyllis Fringer and sister-in-law Leah Doerr.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 20, at 1 p.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lovell. A luncheon will follow at the Lovell Firehall. 

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