Teddy "Ted" Roosevelt Barnhart, Jr.

Teddy ("Ted") Roosevelt Barnhart Jr, age 96, of Ijamsville, MD, formerly of Phoenix, MD, passed away on Thursday, January 23, 2025. Born June 3, 1928 in Adair, OK, he was the son of Teddy Roosevelt Barnhart Sr, and Nan Poplin Barnhart. He grew up in Muskogee, OK where he developed his life-long passion for fishing. He was honorably discharged from the Marines and went on to graduate from the University of Colorado in 1952 with a BS degree in Chemical Engineering.

Ted began his chemical engineering career at Esso in Aruba where he lived for five years and met the love of his life, Delsy Elizabeth Moro. In 1957 he moved with his growing family to Tulsa, OK and became chief processing engineer at the Sunray DX refinery. In 1963 he started a 33-year career in petroleum catalyst sales with the Davison Chemical division of W.R. Grace. He transferred to Baltimore, MD in 1968 and progressed through a series of management and executive roles within the U.S. and Europe, capping his career as Vice President of International Marketing developing business alliances in Europe and China.

An honest and hardworking family man, it was important to him that his daughters could be financially self-sufficient, and he took joy in exposing them to a range of cultural and travel experiences. Friendly and generous, he often helped those less fortunate. In recent years he built bluebird houses for the neighbors each winter and shared his love of flyfishing giving lessons, rods and books away to budding fly fisherman.

He was an avid gardener growing a large variety of berries, fruits and vegetables but Ted's real passion was fly fishing. He regularly fished the Madison River in Yellowstone National Park and worked to protect fish habitats. During his retirement, he continually refined his techniques for building hand-crafted bamboo fly rods. He is known for his development of the universal ferrule and the double taper full convex bamboo fly rod.

Ted is survived by his three daughters: Lisa Blair and husband Scott of Houston, TX, Sabrina Barnhart and husband Ted Sanchez of Cincinnati, OH, and Theodora "Teddie" Barnhart Kiley and husband Jack of Ijamsville, MD, eight grandchildren Heather Blair, Jordan Blair and husband Nolan Touchstone, Briana Sanchez, Teddy Sanchez, Maegan Kiley, Sioban Kiley, Bridgette Kiley, and Jack Kiley IV, and several nieces and nephews. Ted was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Delsy Barnhart, and three sisters: Clara June Doherty, Betty Van Shriver, and Lola Ruth Muskin. He is also survived by his dear friend Edward Ma, of Hong Kong.

Funeral arrangements by Lescher - Millsap Funeral Home. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery, 7600 Old Taft Rd, Muskogee, OK on Saturday, February 8; viewing prior to burial is 11 AM to 12 PM in the cemetery mausoleum chapel, followed by the burial service starting at 12 PM. Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, 215 South Wallace Avenue, Bozeman, MT 59715 or online at greateryellowstone.org.