Theodore J. Carris

Theodore J. Carris, Jr. (“Teddy”) passed away unexpectedly on Monday, August 20, 2012. Teddy is survived by his father, Theodore J. Carris, Sr. (Christine) of Vestal; his mother, Julie H. Dugan (Terrence) of Brackney, PA; his maternal grandmother, Ursula Hambalek of Vestal; his paternal grandfather, John T. Carris of Vestal; his brothers, John of Taipei, Taiwan, and Adam, Ryan and Dana of Vestal; and his sisters, Elizabeth (Amanda) of New Paltz, NY, and Paula of Vestal. He is also survived by his step-siblings, Shayne Dugan and Rachel Titus; along with his beloved aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. Teddy was predeceased by his grandfather, Stephen Hambalek; his grandmother, Stella Carris; and his great-grandmother, Elizabeth Worch, “Mema.” He was also predeceased by his favorite dog, “Cho Cho,” and his Argentine horned frog, “Joey Cheese.” He was a chef at a number of local restaurants including his first job at 16 at Kampai Japanese Steakhouse with Richard Matsushima, and most recently at Las Chicas Taqueria in Owego with Kim and Seamus Cerretani. Teddy was an outstanding musical talent who played and recorded many of his own compositions. He was a graduate of Vestal High School’s Class of 1998, where he was in Vestal Voices. He went on to attend Broome Community College, where he was the first recipient of a scholarship to study music in Austria at Salzburg College on the Leopoldskron Palace estate, which was the setting for the film “The Sound of Music.” He also attended SUNY Stony Brook and Fredonia. He had a passion for traveling and did so extensively in Europe, Africa and Asia. Teddy lived a full life for a young man and will be remembered as a kind and gentle soul by all who knew him. At the wishes of his family, there will be no formal viewing but there will be a celebration of Teddy’s life and talent at the Quaker Lake Cottagers’ Association Clubhouse off Barney Road in Brackney, PA on Friday, August 24th, between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m. Please come hear and see what Teddy created in the short time he was with us. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Dollars for Scholars, PO Box 959, Vestal NY 13851-0959 for the Teddy Carris, Jr. Memorial Scholarship for music advancement.