Lillian 'Ted' Mccann

Lillian Marie (Ted) Reid McCann was born April 12, 1918 in Scottsburg, Indiana, the third of six children (Jim, Marge, Bill, Bob and Jean) to Lilly and Arnold Reid. As a child she had a furry, brown coat that when combined with her big, brown eyes, made her look like a teddy bear. The nickname stuck and she was forever known to everyone as "Ted." The family moved to Franklin, Ind., where she graduated from high school, and worked in various jobs there. In 1941, she traveled to Florida with her brother's girlfriend to visit him and a young man she had met on a blind date back in Indiana, both of whom were stationed in the military there. "Ted" married Ivan Earl McCann on June 22, 1942, and they resided there throughout World War II. On July 18, 1944 they welcomed their first child, Sue. After Ivan's discharge from the military, they moved to Indianapolis. On March 15, 1947, the couple added a son, Ron, to the family. These were difficult times for the family as they struggled to become established. Ivan had also come from a family of six children, so there were many big family gatherings through the years with each of the aunts, uncles and cousins. Family was of utmost importance to Ted, and she became a career stay-at-home Mom. Her first grandchild was born in 1964, which gave her an opportunity to enjoy motherhood in a whole new way, as life had become much easier than earlier times. She was a wonderful grandmother to six grandchildren: Cheri, Lori, Bradley, Tiffani, Bethany and Taryn, reading stories, working on puzzles, going on walks, and she loved and spoiled each of them. Her fried chicken, mashed potatoes, cube steak and gravy, and angel food cakes became legendary in the family, and are still the topic of many a conversation. There were visits to the cottage that Ivan built in Brown County, and numerous memorable vacations with family and friends. As her grandchildren began to grow up and move away from the immediate area, she regularly wrote to them, and those letters now provide precious memories. In 1990 her husband, Ivan, passed away and "Ted" moved in with Sue a short time later. The grandchildren began to marry and great grandchildren began to arrive in 1992 (Kasey, Trevor, Karisa, AriAnna, Alexis, Auston, Makenzie, Alex and Adam). In 1999 she moved in with Ron and his wife, Yvonne, where she remained until it was necessary for her to move to a nursing home due to her deteriorating health. Yvonne and Ron were blessed to have all the years together with "Mom" as they were certainly entertaining. In 2012, her first great, great grandchild, Ayden, was welcomed to the family, now spanning five generations. One of the final gifts Mom gave us was the opportunity to be together and reminisce about her past, in spite of the damage Alzheimer's had caused in her brain. It also provided some fun memories as she voiced some unfiltered thoughts that she probably never would have said earlier in her life, for she was always a proper and gracious "lady", in every sense of the word. Even up to her final days, she would thank everyone for what they did for her and apologize that she could not take care of herself. She would say repeatedly, "We had fun didn't we?" and "You gotta do what you gotta do". Even though her life was not easy in many ways, she still managed to have fun in spite of it. One of Ron's friends wrote: "What is remembered lives on. I never met your mother, but considering she raised you and you have been such a beautiful influence in my life, and in my role as a teacher, I touch many people. In a way, your mother will never die and is touching more lives than any of us know." A woman who was never very social raised two children who also have touched many lives in a multitude of ways. She lives on through all the lives she touched through each of her family members. Even though those people did not know her, they know the fruit of her life. As we left the nursing home for the final time, several staff members made a point of thanking us for sharing our Mom with them. They said we were truly blessed to have had her in our lives, and we truly were. She leaves behind a legacy of two children, 6 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and 1 great, great grandchild who continue to touch other lives in a multitude of ways. The love she gave will live on through them.