Edward (Ted) Neil Worth
1949-2026
After years of living through the various stages of Lewy Body Dementia, Ted died on August 6, 2026, in Ottawa. He faced his illness with the same courage and serenity that characterized his entire life.
Ted was a deeply loving man who was, in turn, loved by everyone he met. Gentle, flexible, and loyal, he was a can-do person who could be counted on in any crisis to remain calm, solve problems, and make things work. He had a subtle and sweet sense of humour, and was famous for making delicious cookies, pies, and Nanaimo bars. He was committed to justice, peace, and equality, and volunteered with the New Democratic Party for most of his adult life.
Ted was born in Toronto on October 17, 1949, to Catherine (Mullins) and Arthur Worth. He grew up in Scarborough, Ontario, with his two sisters, Barbara Worth and Patricia Sayer.
Ted first discovered his love of the performing arts at Glendon College, in Toronto, where he worked on several theatre productions. After receiving his Bachelor of Arts, he transferred to the main campus of York University, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Administration and worked one summer at the Stratford Theatre in Stratford, Ontario.
In 1973, he married Christine Overall, his high school sweetheart. He was a devoted, thoughtful, generous, and deeply loving life partner.
In 1975, they moved to Montreal, where Ted started work as a bookkeeper at Centaur Theatre, the city’s largest Anglophone theatre. Over the course of a decade, he worked his way up to the position of General Manager.
Ted and Christine’s two children, Devon and Narnia, were born in 1977 and 1981. Ted was a caring and patient father who took excellent care of his children, taught both of them how to cook and bake, and always had time for their activities.
In 1987 the four of them moved to Kingston, Ontario, where for over thirty years Ted held a variety of administrative positions in the fine and performing arts. They included the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, the Modern Fuel Artist-Run Centre, the Caravan Stage Barge (a theatre on a boat), Theatre Kingston, the Agnes Etherington Art Centre (at Queen’s University), and the Kingston Arts Council. Ted loved the arts and was devoted to their support and development.
Ted’s life was further enriched when Devon and his wife Julie Mayrand welcomed their children, Ewan and Torin, and Narnia and her husband Michael Ashton welcomed their children, Nathan and Darren. Ted enjoyed spending time with his grandsons, especially making cookies and pancakes for them, and cheering them on as they played hockey and soccer.
Together, throughout their marriage, Ted and Christine travelled all over the world—to Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Greenland, Iceland, Galapagos, the Baltic region, the Caribbean, Cuba, Italy, Ireland, France, England, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and right across Canada.
In 2024, Ted and Christine moved to Ottawa to be closer to their son and his family.
The family extends sincere and heartfelt appreciation to the staff at Garry J. Armstrong Long-term Care Home in Ottawa, for their care and kindness for Ted, and their unfailing support of Christine.
Interment has taken place. A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Centaur Theatre in Montreal, or to Theatre Kingston or the Agnes Etherington Art Centre in Kingston.