Theodore "Ted" Robert Frisbie, age 82 of Edwardsville, IL, passed away on Monday, February 24, 2020 at his residence.

Ted was born May 21, 1937 in New York, NY to the late Russell Peck and Barbara Marie nee Tani Frisbie.  He was mainly raised in Newtown, CT.  He graduated from Newtown High School in 1955, obtained his B.A. and M.A. in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico in 1963 and 1967, and PhD in Anthropology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in 1971.  Ted was a Professor of Anthropology working at SIUE from 1972 until retiring in 1997, when he became Professor of Anthropology Emeritus.  During his employment, he was a Chairperson for the Anthropology Department from 1979 - 1981, Director of Anthropology Department Teaching Museum from 1979 - 1997, and started Teaching Museum Research Reports in 1985.  He received an Outstanding Performance Award for developing, and with donations and help from students and others, building the Anthropology Department Teaching Museum in 1979.  He arranged for a Zuni blessing at the opening in April, 1980.  The Museum was chosen as one of ten things to be visited on campus by prospective students.  He was an undergraduate advisor for the department, and advisor to TRIBE, SONAR and the Anthropology Club.  He was awarded the SIUE Teaching Excellence Award 1992 - 1993 and was nominated numerous other times.  Ted received SIUE Excellence in Undergraduate Education Awards for excavations and restorations at Zuni 1989, 1991, 1993, and at the Love Farm in 1996.

Ted also taught part-time at Meramec Community College 1971 - 1972, was a visiting professor at Northern Arizona University (NAU) for Grand Canyon Semester, which was sponsored by National Collegiate Honors Council in 1978, was a guest lecturer at the University of Salamanca, and at the Zhoukoudian site during the University of Beijing seminar, which was sponsored by the Archaeological Institute of America in 1998.

With Illinois Humanities Council support, he created and helped establish the Pioneer Log Cabin Museum at Hamel Elementary School, District 7, in 1996.  The museum focuses on the Frisbie Farm, which was established by the Love family in 1836, artifacts from excavations there, and donations from the Love family.  In 1998 Ted was awarded the Goshen Preservation Alliance Award for the restoration of the Love family farmhouse and Pioneer Log Cabin Museum.

One of Ted's ongoing research interests included Chaco and MesoAmerican connections and his quest to solve the Chaco Phenomenon, and he was preparing his Magnum Opus on this subject.  Additionally, he enjoyed researching the Ethnography, Ethnohistory, and Archaeology of New Mexico's Zuni Pueblo (1958-present), the Quercus Grove Community of Madison County, IL, and the Love Farmstead which he and Charlotte purchased in 1972.  Recently, Ted was involved with the International Congress on the Anthropology of Salt.

Ted authored and co-authored several publications and was invited numerous times for presentations at symposia and conferences, reviews, single and co-authored essays in journals and other sources including Kiva, Biennial Anasazi Symposium Proceedings, Masterkey, Santa Fean, Pottery Southwest, Awanyu, encyclopedias and festschrifts.  He curated several exhibits including the Contemporary Zuni Arts and Culture at the Bank of Edwardsville, IL (1982 - 1985), Silver Lining Gallery in Edwardsville, IL (1985), Cumberland Science Museum in Nashville, TN (1990). Along with artist and friend, Dan Woodward of Rolla, MO, a portfolio for Zuni artist Bryon Mathew Calavaza was created and a show of these works was held at the Edwardsville Arts Center (2017).

Publications include:

Collected Papers in Honor of Florence Hawley Ellis , Arch Soc of NM2, 1975.  Frisbie, ed. and contributed a paper; additionally did biography and bibliography of his mentor, Florence Hawley Ellis

Frisbie, Theodore R. and S. G. Denny

1991 The Excavation and Restoration of the Solomon Farmstead, Lower Nutria, Zuni Reservation, New Mexico .  Anthropology Teaching Museum Research Paper 3.  T.R. Frisbie, ed.

2006 Southwestern Interludes:  Papers in Honor of Charlotte J. and Theodore R. Frisbie , Arch Soc of NM 32.  Festschrift series.  Includes brief autobiographies and bibliographies:  "Enjoy Life; This is Not a Dress Rehearsal" by CJF, pp.1-16; and "Life is What You Make It" by TRF, pp.17-32.

2014 Since Mera: The Original Eleven Bulletins with Essays and Opinions Derived from Recent Research .  Compiled and edited by Emily J. Brown, Regge N. Wiseman, and Rory P. Gauthier with contributions by Hayard H. Franklin and Theodore R. Frisbie.  Ted authored a lengthy biography of Harry P. Mera and compiled Mera's hitherto unpublished bibliography.  Archaeological Society of New Mexico Special Publication 5.

He was a charter member of the Society of Professional Achaeologists, a life member of the Archaeological Society (ASNM) and was presently serving as an adviser to their board, a member and Fellow of the American Anthropological Association, Lambda Alpha (National Collegiate Honors Society of Anthropology) Alpha Chapter of Illinois, the Society for American Archaeology, American Association of Museums, North American Society of Science and Art, and a life member of the Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society. In NY, Washington DC, and the Southwest, Ted was a member of many other professional organizations and museums.  He also very much enjoyed his participation in the Quercus Grove Rural Club.

Ted loved his family and friends dearly, the Southwest, his adopted family at the Zuni Pueblo, anthropolgical teaching and research, restoration work, professional conferences, and international travel with family, friends, and professional groups.  Known as the "Man of Many Talents," his interests were wide-ranged and he was on a constant quest for knowledge. He was an avid collector of stamps, books, music (especially operas), movies, cobalt blue glass, Native American and antique items, garden gnomes, and anything salvageable or of possible use around the homestead.  He was very frugal and always found unconventional ways to solve problems and repair just about anything.  Nature and the outdoors were two of Ted's deepest passions, and he spent a lot of time in earlier years camping and hiking. He loved collecting rocks on his many travels and incorporating them into the home gardens.  His green thumb was reflected around the farm by his vegetable, herb, and flower gardening, and the numerous beautification projects he created over his years there. Bird watching was a special pastime, and he especially loved wrens, bluebirds, woodpeckers, and hummingbirds. He also had an uncanny ability to find four leaf clovers which he gave away to friends and strangers alike for good luck.  He spent many hours tending the family's wood stove and loved splitting and working with wood.  Ted was also an avid and talented chef who loved hot peppers and chocolate.

Ted was incredibly creative, gentle, tender, compassionate, sentimental, generous, loving, kind, and nurturing. He loved playing Santa's helper and the game Farkel with family.  He had a great gift for listening to and comforting others, and shared his wisdom with many by being a guide, mentor, friend, and inspiration.  He believed strongly in the potential of every person and gave freely to others.  Ted was known for his wonderful sense of humor.  He will be deeply missed by many.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister and her husband, Hope and John Martin.

He is survived by his loving wife of 54+ years, Charlotte nee Johnson Frisbie, whom he married August 28, 1965; two daughters:  Elizabeth Frisbie of Dorsey, IL and Jennifer Frisbie and partner, Dr. Daniel Goran of Edwardsville, IL; two granddaughters:  Helena Frisbie-Firsching and Gwynn Frisbie-Firsching; a sister, Susan G. Frisbie and partner, Patrick Gomez of Salamanca, Spain; a brother-in-law, Charles Johnson of Providence, RI; a sister-in-law, Ann Kupferberg of Leesburg, FL; several nieces and nephews.

Ted chose to donate his body to Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO and to have no services.  Later in the summer, the family will plan a gathering to celebrate Ted's life with relatives and close friends.

Donations in memory of Ted may be made to:

Scholarship for Zuni Students

University of New Mexico Foundation

700 Lomas Blvd, Suite 203, UNM

Albuquerque, NM 87131

Archaeological Society of New Mexico

c/o Earlene Shroyer, ASNM Executive Secretary

P.O. Box 3485

Albuquerque, NM 87190-3485

BJC Foundation for Hospice

P.O. Box 790369

St. Louis, MO 63179-9917