Theodore O. Alcaide

Theodore Otto Alcaide, 83, of Amherst, died in peace and love at the Hospice of the Fisher Home on August 8, 2019.

Ted was born to Hilda Piser Alcaide and Otto Antonio Alcaide of Newton (Waban) Massa-chusetts on October 26, 1935, joining his 3-year-old sister, Monsita. As a young lad, he revealed a keen business acumen by pressing, bottling, and selling apple cider door-to-door in his neighborhood, soon followed by a passion for saving and investing his earnings, guided by his father.

He was a member of the Class of 1954 at the Rivers School in Brookline, where he was business manager of the Rivers Current. He received the Faculty, History, and Mathematics prizes upon graduation. He then went on to Amherst College, Class of 1958, majoring in History cum laude. He later earned his MBA at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL, majoring in Financial Analysis and Accounting.

During a brief summer vacation on Cape Cod in 1955 (age 19), he met Elizabeth Alden Hulsman (age 17) who was also on a short vacation with her family several cottages down on Spring Hill Beach in Sandwich. They married four years later at the Union Church in Waban, Ted’s home church. Later they were ecstatic to welcome their daughter, Florence Estella (“Fawn”), 1964, and son, Howard Antonio, 1967, in Washington, D.C.

Ted’s work took him and his family from a Boston brokerage firm and investment fund to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Washington, D.C., and later to several small businesses as Financial Advisor and Accountant. He and Elizabeth retired in 2000 to Shutesbury, then to Amherst.

Amazingly, Ted suffered a lifelong seizure disorder/epilepsy from age 2, which affected his concentration, energy, and ability to succeed in his education and profession. Yet he some-how forged ahead, struggling to overcome the social stigma and his despondency over his condition, needing twice as long to complete a task as he expected of himself. However, he succeeded mightily in taking care of his family.

Over the years, Ted was active in the worship and work of the church and community—peace, justice, civil rights, nuclear disarmament, sanctuary movements, and homeless advocacy. He relished many family reunions and always loved classical music, theater, opera, and the ballet.

In retirement, he added tutoring/mentoring children (Learning Partners, Shutesbury) and reading with the blind. He served on the Board of Trustees/Treasurer, and worship and caring committees, a beautiful covenant group at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst. He loved hiking with his dogs, traveling, and playing Bridge with many friends. Amazingly, he attended his 65th high-school reunion (near Boston) on June 10, 2019, then quietly celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary with Elizabeth on June 14th with black rasp-berry/chocolate-chunk ice cream.

He leaves his loving family: wife, the Rev. Elizabeth Hulsman Alcaide of Amherst; daughter Florence (“Fawn”) Alcaide of Grand Junction, CO; son Howard A. of Orange, MA; three nephews and neices; Dr. Arthur M. Krieg of Cambridge, MA; Eric Krieg of Phoenixville, PA; and Sandra Krieg Graham of Colorado Springs, CO. He also leaves cousins David Alcaide of Nashua, NH; Dolores Alcaide of New York City; Steven Alcaide of Harpswell, ME; Douglas Alcaide of Weston, MA; and Estela Zabaleta Urieta of Madrid, Spain; also cousin Maggie Brady Hurll of Madison, NH. Also sisters-in-law Susan Hulsman Bingham of Allentown, PA; Joanna Hulsman of Emmaus, PA; and brothers-in-law William Howard Hulsman of Falmouth, MA; James Buffington III of Eastham, MA; Timothy Woodbridge Bingham of Allentown, PA; and Dr. Arthur F. Krieg of Hershey, PA . . . and all of their families.

A brief interment service was held on August 12th at the Wildwood Cemetery, the Rev. Rachael Hayes of the Unitarian Universalist Society of Amherst officiating and Piper Pichette playing the harp. An autumn Celebration of Life is being planned.

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