Thaddeus 'Ted' Gerard Jelen

Thaddeus (Ted) Gerard Jelen of Las Vegas, Nev., passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2017 at Infinity Hospice in Las Vegas.

Ted was born on April 30, 1952 in Evergreen Park, Ill., to the late Thaddeus Andrew Jelen and Francis (Kowalczyk) Jelen.

He is survived by his wife, Marthe Chandler of Greencastle; his mother, Francis Jelen of Darien, Ill.; his sister, Nicolette Jelen Rhode; brother-in-law Ron Rhode of Burr Ridge, Ill.; niece Corinne Rhode; brother Mark Jelen; sister-in-law Patti Jelen of Woodridge, Ill.; brother John Jelen and sister- in-law Karen Becker Ryder of Chattanooga, Tenn.; and stepsons Christopher Chandler of Santa Monica, Calif., and Robert Chandler of Chicago.

Ted was a professor of political science at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

He was a founding member of the Religion and Politics section of the American Political Society Association and the author of many articles and books, including “The Political World of the Clergy” (based on research in Putnam County) and “Between Two Absolutes: Public Opinion and the Politics of Abortion” (with Elizabeth Adell Cook).

Services will be private.

Memorial contributions may be made to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union).