Walwik

Theodore Walwik, 72, of Naples, Fla., and Slippery Rock died Thursday at his home in Slippery Rock.

Born in Terre Haute, Ind., June 6, 1937, the son of Theodore K. and Julia Mae Albert Walwik, Ted was educated in the public schools of his hometown and graduated from Garfield High School in 1955.

He received a debate scholarship and attended Butler University in Indianapolis. At Butler, he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and the Blue Key, Tau Kappa Alpha, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies. During his collegiate days, Ted was a two-time national champion debater before graduating magna cum laude in 1959. Ted received a National Defense Education Fellowship to support his graduate studies at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, where he earned a doctorate in speech.

Ted held faculty positions at Hiram College, Butler University and Indiana State University before accepting the chairmanship of the speech department at Slippery Rock in 1971.

As a scholar and an educator, Ted served Slippery Rock University with distinction until his retirement in 1997. In addition to guiding the communications department for more than 20 years, Ted also served the university as dean of extended services, director of planning, trustee of the Pennsylvania Education Services Trust, and was the first director of the Center for Learning Technology.

Ted also was the author of numerous scholarly articles and the book, "A Research Manual for the Performance Course in Speech."

In addition to being a dedicated educator, Ted was an ordained minister and served as the pastor for churches in Indiana, Ohio, Florida and in Branchton, Butler County.

This spirit of service led Ted to a long affiliation with Rotary International. A member of the Slippery Rock Rotary Club for many years, Ted was a Paul Harris Fellow, served as club president, as district governor in 1991-92 and as the regional Rotary Foundation coordinator, making him responsible for encouraging foundation participation among 45,000 Rotarians across the upper Midwest.

Theodore leaves behind generations of students and colleagues who benefitted from their association with him, as well as many others known and unknown to him, who benefitted from his commitment to public service. For all who knew him, Theodore Walwik embodied the Rotary International principle of "Service above Self."

He is survived by Barbara Bender Weller Walwik of Slippery Rock, his beloved wife of 31 years; two sons, William Walwik, a teacher in Mocksville, N.C., and his wife, Christine, and Dr. Joseph Walwik, a professor of history in Champaign, Ill., and his wife, Janice Jayes; a sister, Marilyn Walwik of Terre Haute, Ind.; and a brother and sister-in-law, William and Nancy Walwik of Palatka, Fla. Also left behind are four cherished grandchildren, Theodore Christopher, now serving in the U.S. Navy, and Kirby, Martin and Madeleine of Champaign; and a dear niece and nephew, Greg and Susan Walwik of Palatka, Fla.

Those who knew him as teacher, colleague, friend or family would easily recognize Ted from the words of the Roman orator Cicero: He was "A good man, skilled in the art of speech."

<B>WALWIK</B> — Friends of Theodore Walwik, who died Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010, will be received from 4 until 8 p.m. Saturday at the <B>Smith Funeral Home</B>, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock. A memorial service will be conducted by the Rev. James Lewis, pastor of the Branchton United Methodist Church, at 8 p.m. Saturday immediately following the visitation.In addition, a memorial celebration of life service will be held at Slippery Rock University at a time to be announced this spring.