Obituaries : Charles Theodore "Ted" Nolte

Charles Theodore "Ted" Nolte, age 79, passed away in his sleep at Harmony Rehabilitation Center in Cedar Rapids, IA on Friday night March 6, 2026. He was born at Hampton, IA May 1, 1946, son of David J. and Mary Zoe (Ellsworth) Nolte. He was one of the University of Iowa Hospital's "Polio kids" – diagnosed at age 3 in 1949, leaving him with a paralyzed leg and a lifetime wearing a "brace".

Ted was educated in the Hampton Community school system up through his Junior year, when the family moved to Vinton where he graduated from High School and then attended Iowa State University. Ted was a math "whiz" and ultimately did hotel front-desk and accounting work. In August of 1974, during his night auditor shift at the Des Moines Downtown Holiday Inn, at about 2:30 a.m. a robber with a gun broke into the office, asked for all the cash, and subsequently murdered two employees and left Ted and a tourist (just then coming in off the road) both in intensive care. (The bullet which shattered his arm was thereby slowed down enough so that, when it passed through his sinuses, there was no exit wound, saving his life). Ultimately, Ted had to live out his days on disability.

Ted was able to live independently in his own apartment, always living near family. When his brother Dave retired in 2010 and moved to Albuquerque, NM to be near son Ben and family, Ted came too – and subsequently moved back to North Liberty in 2015 when, for special family reasons, everyone returned to be near the U. Iowa Center for Disabilities and Development.

Ted loved all things Iowa State! He especially enjoyed watching TV sports of all kinds – football, basketball, baseball, and even horse racing. Also, family gatherings always included games of Scrabble or Monopoly or Cribbage – which he usually won more often than any other family member! Also like every family member he enjoyed "background music", including his complete set of Beethoven symphonies. He was bright, gentle, kind, polite, encouraging, and uniquely funny – although with very strong "progressive" opinions.

Ted was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his brother Dave (Mari) Nolte; sister Anne Marie Nolte; Nephew, Ben (Jacqueline) Nolte and their children Isaiah and Emilia; Niece, Christen Nolte and her daughter Hallie; and eighteen first cousins and their families.

Inurnment services will be held in Vinton, IA this coming summer on a date yet-to-be-determined, with arrangements being coordinated through Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation of Iowa City.