NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Ted Emmit Mellencamp, 62, of Nashville, Tennessee, passed away Friday, March 4, 2016, at home surrounded by his loving family.
Born April 7, 1953, in Seymour, he was the son of Richard L. and the late Marilyn Lowe Mellencamp. On Sept. 6, 1975, in Seymour, he married Debbie Ponder, and she survives.
Ted graduated from Seymour High School in 1971. He worked for eight years as a journeyman electrician before joining his brother, John Mellencamp, as his tour manager. Later, he worked for Polygram Records as a promotional representative in Houston, Texas, and Nashville, Tennessee. He was credited with helping to build the careers of many multi-platinum recording artists including John Mellencamp, Jon Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Cinderella, Kiss, Tears for Fears, The Scorpions and Kool and the Gang, to name a few.
Ted loved to bake, garden and spend time with his grandchildren, family and beloved wife of 41 years, Debbie. He was famous for his fudge.
Besides his father and wife, survivors include his children, Eric Mellencamp and Casey (Amber) Mellencamp; five grandchildren, Lola, Jude, Wyatt, Maddox and Olivia Mellencamp; siblings, Joe (Lynn) Mellencamp, John Mellencamp, Janet (Todd) Kiel and Laura (Mark) Hackman; his mother-in-law, Earnestine (Huey) Ponder McIntosh; sisters-in-law, Sandy Delmonte and Brenda Thompson; brothers-in-law, Johnny (Susie) Ponder, James Ponder and Kenny Ponder; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his mother; grandparents, Harry and Laura Mellencamp and Joe and Bessie Lowe; and his father-in-law, James Paul Ponder.
The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at The Point, 311 Myers St., Seymour. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Voss Chapel, Seymour, and from 11 a.m. until time of service Wednesday at the church.
Memorials may be made to the Marilyn Mellencamp Scholarship for the Arts Fund through the Community Foundation of Jackson County.
Arrangements were made through Voss & Sons Funeral Service, Seymour.