April 15, 1920 – July 24, 2012
Theodora Mary Braun “Teddy” Topp, 92, passed away July 24, 2012 in Tumwater, Wash.
She was born April 15, 1920 to John Baptiste Braun and Theodora Abigail Wright Braun in Kimball, South Dakota.
Teddy graduated from Staples High School in Staples, Minn. in 1935, at age 15. In 1936, she received an Elementary School Certificate and began her teaching career at Birch Hill School in Cass County, Minn.
On April 11, 1941, she married Eugene Henry Topp in Belle Plaine, Minn. and became a dairy farmer’s wife, and mother. She also lived in Bertha, Minn. (1942-1954), Sweet Home (1954-1997), Waldport (1997-2009), and the last three years in Tumwater.
Teddy taught sixth grade at Liberty Elementary School (1960-1980) in Sweet Home, where she established the first outdoor education program. She was named Oregon’s Environmental Teacher of the Year in 1977.
Teddy was a feisty, hardworking, bargain-seeking, musical lady who loved to tease. She was known for her colorful responses and banter. She loved camping, quilting, painting, mushrooming, hunting, fishing, reading, singing and playing the piano. All of her life she sang in her church choir and during the past years volunteered for local senior centers and food and clothing banks. For years she was a campground host for the Forest Service and a volunteer at the Alsea Bridge Interpretive Center in Waldport.
Teddy is survived by daughters, Tedi Sacco of Ashland, Karline (Rick) Bird of Olympia, Wash., and Stephanie Claire (Chris) Wickham of Olympia; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Topp; and son Joseph Gregory Topp.
Services will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012 at Tumwater United Methodist Church, 1401 Lake Park Drive, Tumwater, Wash. Memorial donations may be made to the Thurston County Food Bank – Food for Kids, 220 Thurston Ave. NE, Olympia, WA 98501.
A full obituary can be seen and remembrances left at http://www.FuneralAlternatives.org.
Arrangements are with Funeral Alternatives of Washington (360) 753-1065.