Beloved father, friend and local artist Theodore (Ted) Basrak, died peacefully in his home Nov. 16, 2008. He was 86 years old and a Clinton resident for 32-years.

He was born in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia in 1922 to Sima and Mica Basrak, immigrated to the United States in 1949 where he met and married his beloved wife Dorothy Basrak (Ellwanger) in 1951 at the Lutheran Church in Clinton.

Shortly thereafter Dolly and Ted moved to Southern California where they raised a family and made many friends. Ted owned a successful car dealership called Golden Crown Motors, specializing in import car sales. In 1976, with the desire to escape the “rat race,” Ted and Dolly relocated to Whidbey, where Ted opened a repair shop in Clinton, aptly named Golden Crown Motors. Here Ted made many, many friends, selling and repairing local residents’ cars.

In 1985, Ted officially retired so that he could dedicate more time to one of his true loves, painting. He became a member of the Artists Cooperative Gallery in Langley where he was actively involved for many years.

Ted is survived by his two sons, Gregory Basrak and his wife Debbie, his son Theodore Basrak and six grandchildren. Melissa Eastman, Jennifer Williams, Deana Soderberg, Emma Tyrchniewicz-Basrak, Kayla and Kyle Basrak and two great-grandchildren Jacob and Mary-Katherine Eastman along with his beloved cat.

Preceded in death was his wife of 32 years, Dorothy Ellwanger and his daughter Michelle Soderberg.

A memorial for Ted will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 at the Freeland Hall, for family and friends can come to celebrate and remember a great South Whidbey icon. A potluck luncheon will follow.