Theodore Ambrose Michael Arts

Theodore Ambrose Michael (Ted) Arts was born March 11, 1957 in Windsor Ontario, the oldest of five children. His sister Heidy arrived soon afterward, followed by David, Jeff and Richard. Ted had a truly unique and inventive mind even as a young child, and when we moved to “the farm” in northern Ontario, he could be found helping his dad and uncles with the stock, hanging out in the shop where the big machinery was routinely fixed, and driving the tractor and the big bulldozer. He left high school early and moved to Vancouver British Columbia where he worked in vending machines and was very successful. He followed that with a move to Saint Catherine where he worked at Moyer Diebel for many years. Then came a move to Williamsville New York where he met his lovely wife Sue, and he began putting his energy toward building his own business. This still entailed vending machines but he also invented an “isolation booth” that was used in hospitals to prevent the spread of airborne pathogens. From there, more inventions, more patents involving portable air filtration units that are used by governments around the world as well as the US military. While immersed in all of this, he found time to help design a more efficient engine for dragsters, to build a home elevator for a friend whose wife could no longer climb stairs, and to design and build high speed go-karts, a front end loading backhoe, and our favorites: the bar stool racers. Ted collected cats. He and Sue were devoted to live trapping feral cats, having them fixed, and then releasing them on their property. He daily fed the raccoons, foxes, skunks, ducks and squirrels on his back porch, and would sit and watch and enjoy them. He and Sue walked wooded trails every day and he reveled in the wildlife, taking and sharing many photos. Ted is survived by his wife of 33 years, Sue (nee Czochara) Arts, sister Heidy, brothers Jeff and Richard, nephews Henry and Alexander (Leah) Farleo, Spencer Arts, niece Morgan Register (Casey), and great nieces Averie and Sunny Predeceased by parents Ted and Luise Arts, brother David and his wife Rita, and their children Taylor, Annemarie and Tryn. Visitation will be Wednesday September 17, 2025 from 12 to 4 PM at the Wattengel Funeral Home, 533 Meadow Drive in North Tonawanda where Funeral Services will follow at 4 PM. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to “Feral Cat Focus” in Ted’s name.

Theodore Ambrose Michael Arts

March 11, 1957 - September 12, 2025