Published: July 02, 2009 09:56 pm      

Hundreds pay tribute to hospital CEO

EDMOND — Family, friends and community leaders gathered Thursday morning at First Presbyterian Church to celebrate the life of the late Theodore “Tayo” Fichtl amid the promise of eternal life.

Fichtl was CEO of Edmond Medical Center when he died unexpectedly on June 25. He was 43 years old.

A video tribute showed pictures of Fichtl throughout his young life. A loving family man was evident in images of Fichtl with his wife Renee and with “his girls” Julianna, 6, and Mallory, 4.

“He was a supportive and understanding and sensitive husband and father,” the Rev. John Gruel said. “As Renee said, ‘I felt so loved.’”

Fichtl created a high standard of leadership during his two years at Edmond Medical Center, Steve Kreidler said in homage to his friend. He was a dedicated competitor who would stop at nothing short of triumph for his community, hospital patients or his staff, Kreidler continued.

“That triumph was not usually for himself,” Kreidler said. “It was always for his girls, for his family, for his loving wife Renee … .”

Dr. James Lynch, a hospitalist, was one of the nearly 1,000 people paying their respect to Fichtl.

“He was a great advocate of both the physicians as well as the nursing staff and the administrative (staff),” Lynch said following the service. “He was truly a great leader.”

Marquita Meadows said Fichtl was always friendly when coming to the hospital radiology department where she works as a clerk.

“He was just a real people person,” she said. “I enjoyed him whenever I saw him. It’s just sad.”

Fichtl was a remarkable, special man and son, Tayo’s father said in eulogy. “He was the best son that I could ever hope for,” said retired Army Col. Ted Fichtl.

Tayo would call his parents in Arizona on his cell phone almost daily with the greeting, “Hey Dad. Hi Mom,” Ted Fichtl said.

“And the story lasted until he pulled into his driveway,” he recalled. “Then he said, ‘Well, I’m going to get in my garage now, and I’m going to hang up. I’m going to go inside and I’m going to love my girls.’”

Ted Fichtl described how jet fighters will fly in perfect formation, leaving a space for a fallen comrade.

“I will say to you that his family will be living that missing man formation forever,” he said before saluting Tayo’s remains. “I think there are many of you here that feel the same way. He was a real man, a selfless man, a humble man. He was in touch with God and his fellow man.

“Isn’t it an irony that his heart turned out to be his mortal weakness when it was without a doubt his greatest spiritual strength.”

jcoburn@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 114