Ted Henry Chidester

Ted Chidester

Panguitch, UT

Ted Henry Chidester, 81, passed away February 24, 2018 in Panguitch. Ted was born, April 27, 1936 to Loris E. and Hilda Orton Chidester in Panguitch, Utah, the 3rd of four children. He married Shirley Ann Miller July 18, 1955 in the Manti Temple. He was always very active in sports and played basketball, baseball and ran track in high school.

Ted graduated from Panguitch High School in 1954 then attended C.S.U. (now S.U.U.) on a basketball scholarship. After completing two years he joined the US Air Force. He was stationed at Castle Air Force Base at Merced, CA. for two years. He was transferred to March Air Force Base near Perris, CA. for two years. After completing four years in the Air Force he enrolled at Utah State University. He was very patriotic. While at Utah State he drove city bus and was also a driver for chartered bus tours all over the country.

Ted’s first teaching/coaching job after graduating from USU was at Fielding High School in Paris, ID. He was the assistant basketball and football coach. After one year at Fielding, the position at North Summit High School in Coalville, UT opened and he was hired to be a history teacher, head basketball coach, track coach and assistant football coach. His basketball teams at North Summit finished in the top sixteen every year except the first year. That was when there were only two divisions of teams in the state, the A and the B. North Summit won the B division state championship in 1967. He coached there for 13 years. While there he was named "Coach of the Year" and received an award given by the Utah Basketball Officials in 1975 for "Coaching and Proper Bench Conduct".

At the age of 40, Ted decided to go back to college to earn his Master’s Degree. Because he had been a friend with Coach Bob Knight for several years, Coach Knight told him if he would like to go to Indiana University in Bloomington, IN he could work with Bob and the IU Hoosiers basketball team while working on his degree. He was able to do on-the-floor coaching and also recruiting and scouting for IU. He was part of the coaching staff when Indiana University won the NCAA championship in 1976. He has a beautiful championship ring to show for his work with the team. He also received his Master’s Degree. They were there for two years. He was named the head basketball coach at Northern Montana College in Havre, Montana where he served for two years. Ted was then offered the head basketball position at BYU Hawaii. He worked hard to build up the young basketball program. He took his team to the National tournament in Kansas City, MO for the first time in the school’s history. He was there for eight years. They moved back home to Panguitch. Ted became the principal of the middle school and later the principal of Panguitch High School and the basketball coach. As their coach PHS won the state championship in 1990.

Their next endeavor was to serve a mission for their church. They were called to serve in Lubbock, Texas. While their Coach Bob Knight gave them tickets for all home football and basketball games. Their mission president gave his approval if they would wear their missionary apparel. After 21 months as missionaries they went to thank Coach Knight for his kindness to them and he invited Ted to come back to Lubbock in the fall and work with the Texas Tech basketball program. He was anxious to return to the basketball scene. He did on- the-floor coaching and served as academic supervisor for the team. He was invited back the next year to do on-the-floor coaching and was the "color man" for the Texas Tech basketball radio broadcasts. They were there for two years. Ted was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 as a "Utah Coach of Merit."

Ted is survived by his wife, Shirley; children: Bret (Elizabeth), Julie, Jill, Bart (Julie V), Maria (Tile) Sio; and foster son, James (Geremy) Chidester; 12 grandchildren and 4 great- grandchildren; brother, Arthur; and sister, Lola C. Henrie. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Dee L; and great-granddaughter, Emi Addison Chidester.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, March 5, 2018 at 12:00 Noon in the Panguitch LDS Stake Center, 550 South 100 West. Viewings will be at the church in Panguitch: Sunday evening from 6 to 8 p.m. or on Monday morning from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Panguitch Cemetery with military honors by the Panguitch American Legion Post #92.

Funeral Directors: Magleby Mortuary, Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook www.maglebymortuary.com In lieu of flowers family suggested to make a donation to your favorite school.