Theodore R. Amgott ’75
Ted died April 23, 2025, in Melbourne, Fla., after a 15-month battle with glioblastoma. Born in Brooklyn, he grew up in suburban Cranford, N.J., and came to us from Cranford High School.
At Princeton, which always remained close to his heart, Ted majored in biology, was a member of Quadrangle Club, and played club table tennis. After graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, he headed to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he was a “quietly studious, affable, and unflappable” roommate of Brad Thompson ’75 while they earned their medical degrees. Ted remained at Johns Hopkins Hospital for his internal medicine internship and residency. During his pulmonary fellowship at Duke University Medical Center that he met Colleen Suchan, who became his wife of nearly four decades.
After moving to Florida in 1984, Ted served the internal medicine, pulmonary, sleep, and critical care needs of the Brevard community during his 38-year career. A well-respected and compassionate physician, he enjoyed the challenge of medicine and critical diagnoses, as well as the opportunity to mentor future medical students. He also interviewed prospective students for Princeton and presented an annual book award on behalf of Princeton at his children’s high school.
Ted was a devoted husband to Colleen and proud father of Jonathan and Natalie. A family highlight was delivering his own children. He demonstrated his unwavering love and support for his family by always making time for family fun, over a game, in the pool, or by traveling together.
In Florida, Ted became an avid windsurfer and later a runner, competing frequently in local races. A lifelong zeal for learning made him a brilliant wordsmith, history buff, and student of French. He savoured jazz, Indian cuisine, and hiking wooded trails. Retirement gave him the opportunity to polish his culinary skills and to surprise Colleen with many adventures.
A man of strong character, integrity, and kindness, Ted showed his appreciation of others in many ways. Full of joie de vivre and possessing a wonderful sense of humor, he lit up the room with his grin and contagious laughter while storytelling. He will also be remembered for his admirable generosity to those in need, especially the hungry and the homeless.
In addition to Colleen, Jonathan, and Natalie, Ted is survived by his son-in-law, Ryan McEachern, and his loving extended family. We join them in celebrating the life of this extraordinary classmate.
Paw in print
January 2026
Giving big with Kwanza Jones ’93 and José E. Feliciano ’94; Elizabeth Tsurkov freed; small town wonderers.
1 Response
Comments
Thomas Drucker ’75
1 Week AgoFrom a Princeton Classmate
When I graduated, I wrote to about 20 of my classmates (including Ted) expressing the hope that we could continue to communicate after we had gone our separate ways. Out of the 20 to whom I wrote, Ted was the only one who responded. He noted that his studies in medical school were going to keep him too busy to keep in touch and I never heard from him again. Nevertheless, I am grateful for his having responded at least once.