Former Denver City Councilman Ted Hackworth “was never afraid to vote ‘no,’ ” said City Auditor Dennis Gallagher, who served with Hackworth.
In fact, he and other former council members said “the vote was often 12 to Hackworth.”
Hackworth, who always kept a close eye on the city budget during his 24 years on the council, died Monday at his home. He turned 83 on Saturday.
Hackworth had suffered from pneumonia and other ailments.
Services will be announced later.
“He was a great watchdog of the money and studied the issues carefully. He was also great at putting people together in coalitions,” said Gallagher.
“I respected him so much,” said another former council member, state Sen. Joyce Foster. “We didn’t agree on much, such as gay rights, but he was a decent soul and a man of his word.”
“He always wanted what he deemed good for the city but not for any selfish or personal reasons,” said Deborah Ortega, who also served with Hackworth on the council.
When new people moved into his southwest Denver district, Hackworth wrote them welcoming letters. “I don’t know anyone else who did that,” said Ortega.
Though serving on the council was considered a part-time job, “he worked full time and more,” said his son, James Hackworth of Colorado Springs. “He read every word of every proposal and amendment. He knew his facts.”
Family members usually agreed with Hackworth, but if they didn’t, “he could debate us until he got us to believe,” said his daughter Joan Grady of Caldwell, Idaho.
Theodore James Hackworth Jr., was born in Denver on Nov. 7, 1926, and graduated from East High School. He earned a business degree from the University of Denver and worked for two meatpacking companies, becoming vice president of Pierce Co.
He married Doris Larson on Dec. 31, 1947.
He served two terms on the Denver school board — from 1971 until 1977 — before being elected to the council.
One of the big issues at the time was school busing, which he was against.
While on the council, Hackworth, who was finance chairman for many years, fought expenditures he believed unnecessary, including a $46,000 trip to China by Mayor Wellington Webb. His was the only vote against what he considered special protection for transgender people. He called a proposal for a registry of same-sex couples “a worthless piece of legislation.” The measure gave unmarried couples the rights to insurance benefits and to make medical decisions for partners.
In addition to his wife, daughter and son, he is survived by another daughter, Linda Hoffman of Fort Collins; eight grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; his sister, Jo Kliewer of Nebraska; and one brother, Robert Hackworth of Dunedin, Fla.
Virginia Culver: 303-954-1223 or vculver@denverpost.com
