Theodore H. Martland

Woodbury – Dr. Theodore Harrison Martland, 87, died at St. Mary’s Hospital VITAS on May 5, 2018 with his beloved daughter and family at his side.

Ted was born October 5, 1930 in Port Chester, NY to Thomas and Ann (Newbury) Martland. Ted Graduated from White Plains HS in 1948 where he had first set eyes on his future wife, Ingrid Tekla Linnea Johnson, an only child of two Swedish immigrants, and later Valedictorian of White Plains High School of whom he is predeceased.

Ted joined the US Air Force in 1951 where he first worked as a pilot and later as an illustrator. Ted attended Pratt Institute of Technology, Columbia University Teachers College (BS 1954), and Columbia University where he received his PHD in Education in 1959. Ted worked as an art teacher, received a President’s scholarship, and later as Business Administrator in Valley Stream, NY. He moved to Connecticut in in 1966 to be Superintendent of Woodbury schools with his young family; Ingrid and sons Ted and Matthew, and daughter Lisbet; who helped finish the construction of his own designed home in Woodbury. Further developing his building interest, he designed and constructed over ten beautiful homes in Woodbury, and oversaw the construction of the Nonnewaug High School after spearheading the successful regionalization of Woodbury and Bethlehem school systems, now Region 14. He was instrumental at Nonnewaug HS in the exchange of teachers from Korea, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, and the hosting of the U.N Russian Ambassador who gave a presentation there. Later he became Deputy Superintendent of Schools of the city of Waterbury while at the same time, performing multiple supervisory and director roles for the Waterbury schools, retiring in 1986. He later served on the Greater Waterbury Chamber’s public policy committee, the Arts and Culture Collaborative, Downtown Draw as a Director, the State’s Commission on the Arts, the Board of Directors of CRRA, and the Diocese of Connecticut Executive Board.
In 1980, Dr. Martland bought the Elton Hotel in Waterbury and later converted it to a residential care facility which remains to this day. In addition, Dr. Martland bought and rehabbed the Sterling Widows’ Home in Bridgeport to the Park City Residential Care Home. Both facilities are managed by his son Matthew.

Ted also loved Judo. He competed and became the “Open Weight” Judo champion of New York State. And, he was instrumental in bringing a graduate from the Judo College in South Korea to the States to teach physical education in Woodbury and start a Judo program there. That program quickly became the best in the state.

Doc, fondly nicknamed by friends and family, was involved in Rotary International, serving as President of two Clubs, and District Governor (7980). He championed the Rotary Youth Exchange program hosting foreign teenagers and coordinating the hosting of American teenagers in foreign countries. His social picnics at his home in Woodbury for those exchange students were legendary.

Art was his true passion and his artwork has won numerous awards. His prized and favorite art accomplishments were his mobile sculptures of which can be observed at the Southbury, Woodbury, and Silas Bronson Libraries, as well as the Greater Waterbury Chamber, the Moriarty Building, Kennedy High School, the Elton Hotel, the Mattatuck Museum, the CRRA Museum, and an annual exhibit at the Amsterdam Whitney Art Gallery in New York City.

Ted was very proud of his children: Ted, his wife Kay (Flanagan) of Nashua, NH, their daughters Kerin and Jennifer, and son Teddy. Kerin’s husband Mathew Griswould of Fitchburg, MA and great grand-children Mackenzie and Mathew; Jennifer’s husband Tom Behrens of Park Ridge, NJ and great grand-daughter Brooklyn. Matthew, his wife Nancy (Piscopo) of Woodbury, CT, their children Lisa, David, and Dylan. Lisbet, her husband Stephen Morris of Woodbury, CT, their children Trevor and Linnea. Trevor’s wife Lynn (DePalma) of Palm Beach, FL and granddaughter Evelyn; and Linnea’s husband Craig Szantyr of Woodbury, CT.

Ted was a true Renaissance Man who enjoyed mastering many crafts and traveling the world. His editorials to the Waterbury papers and the Wall Street Journal will be missed, as well as his wit, humor and frankness.

A Funeral Service for Ted will be held at Christ Church, 1 North St., Roxbury, CT at 11am, Saturday May 12, 2018. For more information or to send notes of sympathy and comfort to Ted’s family please visit his tribute page at www.berginfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.