Edward “Ted“ Preston, 48, of Winchester, MA, passed peacefully from this world on November 17 at the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln MA. Comforting him were his beloved wife, Beth (née Timm), his adored children, Jack, Grace and Sarah, his sister Julie Preston Lehman of Shaker Heights, Ohio and his parents David and Joan (née Salmon) Preston of Wellesley. He also leaves behind his nieces and nephews, Sam and Carly Lehman, and Samantha, Madeline and Joseph Timm, along with many close relatives in Canada and the U.S. who dearly loved "Uncle Ted." The cause of death was pancreatic cancer.
Ted was born in Montreal, Canada and moved to Wellesley as a young teenager where he graduated from Wellesley High School. He later graduated from Brown University and received his MBA from Harvard Business School.
For Ted, family always came first. A role model Dad, his greatest pride and joy were his children, Jack, Grace and Sarah. He loved sharing his passions for learning, music, sports and the outdoors with them every day. Beth and Ted were a formidable team, always providing each other support and unconditional love.
He built a successful career around his passion for education. As the first CEO of The Achievement Network, a nonprofit focused on closing the achievement gap through data-driven instruction, Ted and his team grew the organization from serving seven to over 260 schools while winning several awards for innovation. His career also included executive roles at EF (Education First), Care.com and the Decision Resources Group. Earlier, he was the founding director of the Cincinnati, OH chapter of Summer Bridge, now known as Breakthrough, to address inequities in education. In 2014, he was named a Fellow of the Pahara and Aspen Institutes for his impactful work in education and consulting. In each of his roles, his leadership and mentoring skills left lasting impressions with the people he worked with and beyond. During the past few months, colleagues spanning his career have come to reconnect and share their love and gratitude for his mentorship.
Ted was also active in his community. He was a founding Director and Board Chair for the Edward W. Brooke Charter School, a beloved soccer coach and a steadfast supporter of Winchester Soccer and an active member of the Smugglers Notch Ski and Snowboard Club.
Ted loved being outside, especially in the winter when his goal was always to ski as many days as possible. Once the snow melted, you could find him mountain biking in the woods or fishing in Chatham.
A life too short but well lived, Ted left a legacy of wonderful memories, particularly of his kindness, compassion and engaging, warm smile.
Relatives and friends are welcome to gather for a celebration of Teds life on Friday, November 23 from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at Costello Funeral Home, 177 Washington St. Winchester. A funeral mass will be held on Saturday November 24 at 10:00 am in St. Mary’s Church, 155 Washington St. Winchester, MA. Please meet directly at the church.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of the following organizations that was close to Ted’s heart:
• MGH Marjorie E. Korff Parenting at Challenging Times (PACT) Program: http://www.mghpact.org/donate
• MGH Cancer Center: https://www.massgeneral.org/cancer/support/
• Winchester Community Park: https://winchestercommunitypark.org/donate/
• Winchester Community Music School: https://www.winchestermusic.org/give-now
• Care Dimensions Hospice: https://www.caredimensions.org/giving/
• The Smugglers Notch Ski Education Foundation (SNSEF), 4323 Route 108 South, PO Box 377, Jeffersonville, VT 05464