Obituary

Theodore Branine "Ted" Ice

1934 - 2015 Obituary

Theodore Branine "Ted" Ice, 81, a third generation Kansas lawyer and former Kansas 9th Judiciary District Judge, passed away on Monday morning, November 23, 2015 at the Newton Medical Center. Ted was born June 30, 1934, in Newton, KS, to C. Fred and Mildred Ice.

He graduated from Newton High School in 1952, and from the University of Kansas in 1956. During his college years he completed the N.R.O.T.C . program, and following his KU graduation, he served for three years in the U.S. Navy as an officer in the Supply Corps. He served on two ships during his time in the Navy, making two trips on the U.S.S. Evans to conduct naval duties in the Western Pacific and far east.

Upon his discharge from the Navy in May, 1959, he entered the University of Kansas Law School, graduating with a J.D. degree in 1961. At KU he was a member of Phi Delta Theta social fraternity, Omicron Delta Kappa honorary society and Phi Delta Phi legal fraternity.

He and Sue Harper Ice met as students at KU and were married in her hometown, Winchester, Illinois, in August, 1957.

Ted returned to Newton and practiced with the firm Ice, Turner and Ice for 26 years, being admitted to practice in the State Courts of Kansas, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for Kansas and the Supreme Court of Kansas. He was elected Harvey County Attorney in 1965 until 1969. He was a member of the Harvey County Bar Association, The Kansas Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

He was appointed Kansas District Judge in 1987 and served until he retired in June, 2002.

He served on the Board of Governors of the University of Kansas School of Law and the Board of Editors of the Kansas Bar Journal. He was a member of the Kansas Judicial Qualifications Commission, the commission responsible for disciplining judges, for many years until 2012. He was a Fellow of the Kansas Bar Foundation and a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation.

While a Judge, he was instrumental in beginning the Court Appointed Special Advocate (C.A.S.A) program in this District and the Citizens Review Board (C.R.B.). He was the first board member of Heart to Heart, an organization which serves child victims of abuse.

Ted was an Elder of the First Presbyterian Church in Newton and served several terms on the Session.

His community involvements include: Newton Jaycees 1961-64; Newton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, 1964-1975, president, 1973-74; Chairman of the Harvey County Republican Central Committee 1968-78; delegate from Kansas to the Republican National Convention, 1972; Board of Directors of Bank of America (formerly Kansas State Bank), 1972-87; president of the Newton Rotary Club; Board of Directors of Newton Community Theatre, 1973-83; Harvey County United Way Board of Directors, 1976-79, president 1978-79; Bethel College Advisory Committee chairman, 1984-87; chair of Bethel Builders Campaign 1975; Newton High School Centennial Steering Committee, 1984; Bethel Deaconess Hospital Board of Directors, 1979-87, secretary, 1982; Bethel-Axtell Merger Study Committee chairman, 1982-83; He was a member of the Kansas Native Sons and Daughters from 1991-95 and president in 1995. He was a member of the Newton Medical Center Board of Trustees and he served for many years until 2011 on the Board of Trustees of the Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America.

In 1997, Ted was honored as Outstanding Citizen of the Year by the Newton Chamber of Commerce.

Ted was preceded in death by his parents and by his sister, Winifred Ice Dewell in 1988, his brother-in-law, John Dewell in 1989 and his niece, Jane Dewell Osborne in 1983.

Survivors are his wife, Sue, of the home and his 3 children; Laura Lynn Ice, Wichita, Nancy Ice Schlup (and Ken), Newton, Evan Harper Ice (and Jill), Lawrence; three granddaughters: Erin Ice, Allix Ice and Emily Ice, Lawrence; niece, Margaret Dewell Porter, Ottawa and 3 great-nieces.

The Memorial Service will be at First Presbyterian Church at 1:30pm, Saturday, November 28, followed by a reception in the Fellowship Hall. The graveside service will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Newton, at 11:30am. Book signing and visitation will be at Peterson Funeral Home Friday evening (27th), with family present from 4:30 – 6:00pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church Endowment Fund, Newton Presbyterian Manor or the Mid-America Chapter of the ALS Association in care of Petersen Funeral Home, 215 N. Main Street, Newton, KS 67114.