Nils "Ted" Theodore Lillie

LILLIE Nils Theodore (Ted), A Renaissance Man, Passed away on May 8, 2024, in Bellingham, WA. He was born in Glendive, MT in 1936. Ted loved living in North Saint Paul, MN and enjoyed warmer winters in Deming, NM and Tucson, AZ. He was living life to his fullest having just completed a cruise to see the April 8th solar eclipse off the Mexican Baja coast. The cruise debarked in Vancouver, Canada. He and his loving wife Mary traveled the world on cruises to all seven continents sharing the incredible journeys with grandchildren, family members and friends. Ted had a special gift for chatting people up and making instant friends. Ted had newspaper ink in his blood and loved reading local newspapers wherever he went. He was co-owner of Lillie Newspapers producing 11 award winning weekly community newspapers in the St. Paul suburbs including the Ramsey County Review, and co-operated the St. Paul Tourist Cabins in Saint Paul, MN near Lake Phalen.

He grew up in North Saint Paul and excelled at football and basketball. He also played basketball at the University of Minnesota and Macalester College. Ted equally enjoyed all forms of visual and performing arts.

Ted is survived by Mary (Light) Lillie; children Dawn (Lillie) Jensen, Ted H. and Lynne (Beckenbaugh) Lillie,Jennifer Lillie, and Leon and Missy (Gaynor) Lillie; Jeff Beckenbaugh, Jenifer Nelson, Mark and Kari Beckenbaugh, Mindy and Nick Goodman; his sister Betty Enright; in-laws Wesley Light and Diana Bell; the lights of his life – 9 grandchildren, 8 step-grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren; cousins, nieces and nephews; and friends.

Ted was preceded in death by his parents Theodore R. (Preal) and Gudren (Sollie) Lillie; his first wife Jeaneen (Freitag) Lillie; sisters Patsy and Daphne; in-laws; son-in-law Don Jensen, and brother-in-law Raymond Enright.

Ted’s funeral service will be at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in North Saint Paul, MN on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 11:00 AM, a visitation at the church beginning at 10:00 AM, and a luncheon following to celebrate his wonderful life.

Ted would love it if you told a punny joke to someone. And if you are so moved, Ted’s family invites you to donate, in lieu of flowers, to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church or the North Saint Paul Food Shelf.