Obituary: Theodore 'Ted' Sapino, 92, Longtime Framingham Resident

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Theodore “Ted” Sapino, 92, of Naples, Fla., and formerly of Framingham, passed away on Aug. 15. Ted was born in Troy, New York on Nov. 21, 1928. He was the eldest son of Chester and Hazel Sapino (née B ierworth). He was predeceased by his loving wife, Grace V. Sapino (née Jaffarian). Ted is survived by his daughter Cheryl Dunnigan and her husband, Timothy of Naples, Fla.; his daughter,Thea Stewart and her husband Charles of Oxford; his brother, Chester Sapino and his wife Lynn of Syracuse, N.Y.; his sister-in-law Marion Jaffarian of Watervliet, N.Y.; his brother-in-law Charles Hewison of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. He served in the U.S. Army after World War II and was stationed in Japan. Ted was a truly exceptional man. He had an incredible intellect and yet at the same time he was remarkably humble, down to earth, and kind and caring to everyone he met. These qualities, combined with tremendous integrity, caused him to excel and enjoy a great deal of success in his career. He was first an inventor and venture capitalist, and later a lead engineer at Raytheon, responsible for the design and development of the computer and radar systems on the Patriot Missile System. It could be said that because of his leadership and the hard work of the team that he led, countless Israeli lives were saved and protected during the first deployment of the Patriot Missiles during the first Gulf War.

Ted met his wife, Grace at the age of fifteen. They shared a lifelong romance. They were devoted to each other for well over 70 years. Their love was an enduring love and they were a shining example of what a marriage could and should be. After graduating from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Ted moved to Massachusetts with Grace, where he went on to earn his Master’s Degree from Northeastern University. Several years later, they settled in Framingham where they raised their family. They were incredible parents and exceptional grandparents. Eventually, Ted and Grace moved to Naples, Fla., where they lived and thrived in recent years. Ted was a voracious reader who always had several books with him wherever he went. He studied complex mathematics and physics for fun. He taught his family from an early age that learning did not end with graduation, but rather, it was a lifelong adventure; a lifelong pursuit. He stressed the importance of personal integrity and to always try to do the right thing even if it cost you personally. He encouraged his loved ones to pursue excellence and to always give 100 percent to whatever they put their hands to. Ted was a devout Christian and truly lived his faith. He learned to read both Hebrew and Greek so that he could read the Scriptures in the original language. For many years he answered phones on the crisis line for The 700 Club. Ted was always ready to pray with or help anyone in need and he was generous to a fault. He will be terribly missed by his loved ones.

Family and friends are invited to a funeral mass at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church (100 Troy- Schenectady Road, Watervliet, N.Y. at 2 p.m. on Sept. 9. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his name to a charity of your choosing.