Theodore Willis Violett, MD's Obituary
Theodore Violett, MD Obituary
We gather to honor and remember the life of Dr. Theodore Willis Violett, a remarkable individual whose contributions to the medical field and the community at large have left an indelible mark. Dr. Violett passed away on December 9, 2023, at the age of 93, at his Inverness Village residence in Tulsa.
Born on November 30, 1930, in El Dorado, Kansas, Ted was the son of Willis Karl and Alma (Cleaver) Violett. He spent his formative years in El Dorado and later Carr City, Oklahoma. Ted went to high school in Bowlegs, Oklahoma where he played football for Bowlegs. It was during this time that he met the love of his life Leota Elliott, and on August 18, 1955, they embarked on a lifelong journey together.
Ted initially felt a calling to the ministry, leading him to attend Oklahoma Baptist University, graduating cum laude with the Class of 1952. Ted ultimately decided on a career in medicine, graduating in 1956 from the University of Oklahoma Medical School. His medical journey started as a captain in the US Army as a flight surgeon, after completing his service to his country he became a staff pathologist at St Anthony’s Hospital. Ted continued his career at St Anthony’s Hospital, making significant contributions to the field of pathology and the hospital. In 1978 he achieved subspecialty board in the field of Blood Banking and he contributed to the founding of the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s Office and drug testing initiatives in the state of Oklahoma, which is a testament of his dedication to advancing medical knowledge. Ted served as Director of Clinical Pathology and Chairman of the Department at St Anthony Hospital.
Ted was an active participant in the community. He was active in many professional and social organizations including the Rotary Club in Oklahoma City. He funds a scholarship for medical students at Oklahoma Baptist University and was an Associate Clinical Professor of Pathology at University of Oklahoma. Ted was also an avid art lover appreciating a wide variety of art from southwest to modern art. He was an angler and loved fishing all his life, starting as a child when he fished with his grandfather and brother, Jim, in a small stream near his home. He loved going on fishing trips. He fished the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Arctic Ocean, and Lake Eufaula. Ted loved to travel and has visited every state in the union (a feat which he was very proud of). Ted was a woodworker and made several pieces of furniture for himself and other family members.
Dr. Theodore Willis Violett is survived by his loving wife, Leota Violett, and their children: Charlynn Violett and son-in-law, Randy Smith, Jenee Violett, Tim Violett and daughter-in-law Tammy Violett and his brother Jim’s wife Alverna Violett.
He is also survived by his grandchildren: Tyler and Ben Violett, Devon McLeod, Erin McLeod and her husband Robert Price, Christopher and Zachary Violett, as well his great-grandsons, Wyatt Price and Jensen Violett and great granddaughter Kinley Violett.
Dr. Violett is preceded in death by his parents Karl and Alma Violett, his brother Jim Violett, his sister Kay Mullican and her husband Wayne and his nephew Danny Violett.
In remembrance of Dr. Violett's life, a funeral service will be held at 2 PM on Sunday, December 17, 2023, in the Rivercrest Chapel at 13329 S. Memorial Drive in Bixby. Viewing will commence at 12 PM on the same day, preceding the funeral ceremony. Following the service, Ted will be laid to rest in the Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Oklahoma City.
As we celebrate the life of Dr. Theodore Willis Violett, let us reflect on the legacy he leaves behind—a legacy of dedication, service, and a profound impact on the medical community and all the lives he touched in so many ways. May he rest in peace.
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