Theo "Ted" de Winter

Theo Alexander (“Ted”) de Winter passed away peacefully at his home in Greenville, NH on Friday, October 17, 2025. He was accompanied by his beloved wife of 34 years, Dorothy C. (“Stormy”) Attaway and dog Hamish.

Ted was born in 1932 in Winterthur, Switzerland to parents Johannes Willem and Alice Ferguson de Winter. He grew up in his native Netherlands, the last five years under German occupation. After World War II, his family moved to Argentina and he graduated from high school there. In 1950, he moved to the United States by himself to attend Bowdoin College. He earned a BA from Bowdoin, and then BS, MS, and MEng degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT. He always said that Bowdoin made him an American, and MIT made him an engineer.

In 1955 he married Parmelia (“Patsy”) Willard, with whom he had three daughters: Carol, Jane, and Lisa.

Ted worked in industry at Pratt and Whitney, and Avco Everett Research Laboratory. In 1970 he co-founded Magnetic Corporation of America, and spent 15 years making and selling superconducting magnets all over the world.

He began teaching as an adjunct professor at Boston University in 1963. He joined the faculty full time in the Department of Manufacturing Engineering in 1985. Prof. de Winter taught courses at all undergraduate levels, from freshman and sophomore hands-on design courses to the senior capstone course. His Engineering Economy course was for decades one of the most popular elective courses in the College. He won the Engineering Professor of the Year award four times, and in 2002 won the Boston University Metcalf Award for excellence in teaching. Fluent in six languages, he read the names at the Engineering commencement for many years.

His teaching was legendary, but Ted also was also active in service to the university. He won the Engineering Service Award in 1997. He served as the Chair of the BU Faculty Council and a member of the University Council. As the University Marshall he lead the matriculation and commencement processions for many years. He also served on the Athletic Advisory Board and was the university’s faculty representative to the NCAA.

Ted de Winter spent more than 50 years teaching at Boston University. During that span, he mentored thousands of engineering students and also many junior colleagues. When he retired in 2019, he was honored both with the emeritus distinction and the establishment of the Endowed Theo de Winter Distinguished Faculty Fellowship. This is given to a faculty member who has impacted students through teaching and mentoring, following in Ted’s footsteps.

Ted thought that there should be more scientists and engineers in Washington, so in 1990 he began his political career by running for the US Senate. In the next two election cycles, he ran for Congress. Unsuccessful in those campaigns, he then lowered his sights and became Chair of the Board of Selectmen in his town of Greenville and also chaired the Planning Board and served as a library trustee.

de Winter was an avid fly fisherman, tied his own flies, and spent many summers fishing in Maine and Scotland, and winter breaks fishing in Argentina. He loved his farm and tractor, and enjoyed tending to his orchard and flocks of chickens. He also was a photography buff. A swimmer himself in college, Ted enjoyed sports and especially Boston University hockey. He had season tickets for the men’s hockey games for many years and earlier in his career used to travel with and photograph the team. In retirement, Ted loved going to his camp in Maine, and spent many happy hours hanging out with his dog, reading books and newspapers, solving puzzles, and watching Arsenal FC matches.

Ted is survived by his wife, BU engineering professor Stormy Attaway, his sister Luky Bradshaw, and brothers Dirk de Winter and Frank de Winter. He is also survived by his three daughters Carol Pelletier (Jason), Jane de Winter, and Lisa Cirinna, ten grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Memorial donations may be made to the Theo A. de Winter Distinguished Faculty Fellowship Fund at: https://give.bu.edu/campaigns/56403/donations/new?designation_id=9200011644.

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