Ted Wayne Handley
Ted Wayne Handley went on to be with the Lord on Friday, May 31st, 2024, at 12:45 pm. Services were held Wednesday, August 14th, 2024, at 10 am located at Wilson’s Funeral home in El Reno, Oklahoma. A burial followed at El Reno Cemetery in El Reno, Oklahoma. Ted was born August 30th, 1949, in Ajo, Arizona to Betty Lee (Littlejohn) Hart and Ted Louis Handley.
While he was still a young boy, his family moved to Sacramento, El Cerrito and Hayward, California, before returning to Ajo and moving to a copper mining community in the Andes mountains of Peru. Ted remained in Peru until he was 11 years old. Upon returning to the United States with his family they moved to El Reno, Oklahoma until he was around 13 years old when he went to live with his dad in Oklahoma City. Ted remained living with his dad until he was 17 years old when he joined the US Army to serve in Vietnam.
Ted joined the US Army on September 22nd, 1966, serving with the 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sep). Ted was a Combat Medic who earned the Purple Heart, Combat Medical Badge, Parachute Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal. Ted served 3 years in Vietnam, serving during the Tet Offensive and earned his Purple Heart on January 31st, 1968. Ted returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina where he received an honorable discharge. Upon his discharge he returned home to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to be with his family.
Ted married Darlene Schnackenberg and they had two children James Allen Handley and Veda Rachell Handley. Ted deeply loved his family but especially his children. Ted enjoyed music and was an excellent carpenter. Ted used his carpentry skills to build beautiful cabinets and other beautiful furniture that filled the homes of his loved ones and people that hired him to do woodworking for their homes. Ted had a career in home construction in woodworking for over 40 years before retiring in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
Ted was deeply loved by all his family and everyone that knew him. Vietnam left a heavy mark on Ted but that never stopped him or his family from deeply loving each other. Ted found solace and peace in his cabin that was located near the shoreline of Lake Ross R. Barnett in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Ted found happiness and joy once again in this life through his relationship with his daughter Veda and his sweet cat Miss Hazel.
Ted is preceded in death by his son James Allen Handley, father Ted Louis Handley, sister Barbara McClendon, brother Jim Lahm, niece Kristina Berglan and his ex-wife Darlene Schnackenberg.
Ted is survived by his daughter Veda Handley of Smyrna, Tennessee. His mother Betty Hart and sister Donna Christian of Goldsby, Oklahoma. His sister Louise Kucera-Jones of Meridian, Idaho along with many nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends. Flowers can be sent to the funeral home and the family request that if anyone would like to make donations in his honor that they be given to places that provide services for wounded warriors across the country. In addition, the family requests if any fellow veterans would like to attend the funeral to please do so in his honor.