Theodore SKIP Londos

Skip Londos, 74, of Waco, TX made his transition from this world on Sunday January 15, 2023 at home with his family at his side. The service in honor of his life will be at 10:00 a.m on Saturday, January 28 at Lake Shore Baptist Church (5801 Bishop Dr Waco, TX.) If you cannot attend in person, it can be viewed Live Stream see link below. Born Theodore Jr. to Theodore and Mabel (Strand) Londos, Skip was raised in the Village of Oak Park, IL (“God’s Country” as he called it) just outside Chicago. Skip was most at home outdoors. He walked everywhere, regardless of the weather. He loved sports of all kinds, but baseball was his first love. He began playing as soon as he could swing a bat. He was a pitcher for the Oak Park Jr. Pony League World Championship team in 1961. Injuries from an accident derailed his track to college and pro ball, but he still played semipro with the Oak Park Cardinals for 3 summers. In 1983 he was given a tryout with the TX Rangers where his fast ball - clocked at well over 90 mph - earned him ‘fastest pitcher at tryouts.’ But because 35 is considered too old to start in the majors, he was offered a less than stellar contract and declined. A search for truth and meaning began at age 14 and blossomed into a lifelong love for philosophy, religion, and spirituality. Showing monk-like tendencies already as an adolescent, Skip practiced yoga and meditation, and enjoyed giving himself challenges to affirm the power of mind over matter (i.e., fasting, withstanding freezing temperatures sitting barefoot and shirtless in the snow). His incredibly strong will was matched by the gentleness of his spirit which exuded warmth to all who came within his orbit. Skip’s commitment to loving-kindness and nonviolence was legendary. His spiritual life was lived out in his commitments to his fellow human beings; truth, justice, peace, and love were living realities for which he actively worked. His life truly was his message. Countless friends have expressed Skip’s influence on their lives, epitomized by the moral compass, what would Skip do? Skip was an avid reader and a prolific writer; from poignant poetry to guest columns, editorials, articles, and his book, The Prince of Peace: The Words of Christ for Today (Thomas Nelson Pub.,1993). A new edition of this and a book on Mysticism were in progress, though interrupted due to his illness. Skip met Sandy, the love of his life, in high school sociology class; they married in 1970. He received a B.A. in Sociology from Baylor University, and after a year back in Illinois where he briefly attended seminary, they were guided to return to Waco where Skip accepted an assistantship for a Masters in Sociology. While he embraced his newly adopted city of Waco, Skip’s frustration at the lack of walkability and human-scale infrastructure motivated him to decades-long diligent efforts to make Waco safely walkable. Early on it was a one-man self-funded campaign, focused on sidewalk construction and public transportation. It took 40 years, but he was able to see some of his vision realized— wheelchair ramps at intersections and sidewalks around new construction and schools. Skip taught sociology at McLennan Community College and worked at the Methodist Children’s Home as a caseworker, and then as Director of Vocational and College Counseling, the job he most loved. He was promoted to Division Director but realizing his heart was not in administration, he left Methodist Home to work as a counselor with Texas Rehabilitation Commission, another job he dearly loved. When funding cutbacks forced changes, Skip volunteered to go and switched gears entirely. He became a broker with A.G. Edwards and spent 20 years in service to his clients. He was a pioneer of socially responsible investing before it was “a thing.” Investment work fed his family and his intellect, but not his soul. He kept his spirit fed with service to others, peace activism, and spiritual pursuits. He was cofounder of the Waco Peace Alliance and Friends of Peace. As a committed pacifist and in response to the war in Iraq, Skip helped establish and maintain the Crawford Texas Peace House. He worked closely with Seeds of Hope (Hunger Relief Education), the Community Race Relations Coalition, served on the Caritas Board, and began the Caritas Backyard Garden Project in which he spent many a weekend digging and planting vegetable gardens for the elderly, often with one of his daughters at his side. The Hansma Peace Garden behind Lake Shore Baptist Church was one of Skip’s co-creations, which he reverently maintained for many years. There he led a Quaker style Sunday School class and a meditation group. After retiring, he attended the Earlham School of Religion for peace studies. Skip was a life-long learner. He studied cob house construction and photovoltaics, and loved tinkering around at ‘the farm’ and on his tractor. Organic gardening was a passion. He was on the tennis, and later also the pickle ball, court at least 3-4 times a week most of his adult life. He affectionately coined the term ‘metta-tennis’— a way of bringing loving-kindness into the game itself - and delighted in recruiting newbies to the community court. His ‘solve the world’s problems group,’ men’s group, daily meditation, the books Less is More and To Have or to Be, time with family, 1950’s westerns, a strong cup of black coffee, and anything that would make him laugh were among his favorite things. Skip’s daughters, Mary and Annie, were the Light of his life. He thoroughly delighted in their activities and pursuits, and he never missed a performance, recital, or an opportunity to Skype with them long-distance. He savored long philosophical and spiritual talks with them as often as possible. A Skip Londos hug and smile were pure medicine. He knew and was fond of saying, “All is well. And all will be unimaginably well.” Left to cherish his memory are: his wife of 52 years, Sandy; daughters Mary Londos of Oregon / Texas and Annie Londos-Mueller (husband Tobias Londos-Mueller) of Leipzig, Germany; sister, Linda Davis; sister-in-law Carla Butler; nephews Michael Healey (daughters Claire and Alison) and Jeffrey Healey; niece Jennifer Croft (husband Mike Croft); godchildren David and Sarah Rosenbaum; several cousins; his four-legged family Yogi and Bella Londos; and many beloved friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Song for Shalom Children’s Center, www.songforshalom.org Caritas of Waco, www.caritas-waco.org Song for Shalom Children’s Center, www.songforshalom.org Fellowship of Reconciliation, www.forusa.org World Hunger Relief www.worldhungerrelief.org Community Healthcare of TX (formerly Providence Hospice) www.chot.org Atma Seva Verein (www.atmaseva.de; for donations contact Londos family) *or any organization you like which brings hope, peace, or comfort to this world