Belle Farrar Theobald Obituary (1920 - 2016)

RIPLEY, MAINE- Belle Wheeler (Farrar) Theobald, 95, died September 29, 2016 at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, Maine. She was born in 1920 in Ripley, Maine. Belle graduated from the University of Buffalo in 1942 and from law school in 1944. She earned a private pilot license courtesy of the University of Buffalo, who gave her 3 college credits. She also was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. She worked the graveyard shift at Bell Aircraft to pay for her legal education. After law school, she was admitted to the practice of law in New York State. She joined the army in 1944 where she met Mr. Wonderful in the person of Calvin C. Theobald. Together they raised ten children all of whom are college educated. She was separated from the service as a first lieutenant serving as assistant post judge advocate at the old Camp Kilmer. Thanks to the G.I. Bill, she went on to gain her Master's Degree at Columbia University and her PHD at Rutgers. She served as the president of the Kearny Board of Education for 10 years. She was also President of the Woman's Club of Arlington, Regent of Nova Caesarea Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and a member of the Mayflower Society of New Jersey. With her 10 children she was showcased on the Merv Griffin show, "One in a Million". When her children grew up, she went to work for the Internal Revenue Service. In 2007, her alma mater, the University of Buffalo, inducted her into the Athletic Hall of Fame as a pioneer. She was the only woman in the history of the school to play on the men's tennis team. Prior thereto, she had won the championships of Western New York State, The National Public Parks, Southern Ontario, Niagara Falls and Buffalo, New York. While in the Army she won the first Army tennis championship at Governor's Island. For the past 21 years, she has been the proprietor of Milk Can Antiques in Farmingdale, New Jersey. She was predeceased by her husband Calvin and two sons, Richard and Michael. She is survived by her children Calvin Jr., Adeline, Priscilla, Perry, Lucinda, Elizabeth, Geraldine and Regina. She also leaves behind 22 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews, including a special niece Caroline Farrar Wollk. We would like to thank our spouses Diane Theobald, John Wills, Dr. John Spangle, Ann Theobald, Nofrey Fornaro, Joseph McCarthy and Jeffrey Plage for their unconditional love and support for our mother. Mom loved life and everyone she met. She was truly a brilliant woman who was way ahead of her time. We will miss her tremendously. We were so fortunate to have her in our lives for such a long period of time. However, the only problem is ... it seems just like yesterday when we were all so young, Ma was taking us to New York City to see a Broadway show, showing us how to bake a blueberry pie, and teaching us how to play tennis. "Watch the way, Ma". In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Poulliot Seavey American Legion Post #53, P.O. Box 441, Dexter, ME 04930. Graveside services will be held 1 PM, Tuesday, October 4, 2016, at the West Ripley Cemetery in Ripley, Maine. There will be a celebration of her life on what would have been her 96th birthday, October 29, 2016 in New Jersey. Arrangements by Crosby & Neal, Dexter.