Theodore W. Rendfrey, operator of skating rinks

Ted Rendfrey was only 9 when he won his first event as a competitive roller skater.

"In 1954, he won the New Jersey state championship, juvenile division," of the U.S. Amateur Roller Skating Association, his wife, Sharon Sue, said.

He capped his career in 1966, the year that he turned 21, by winning the national speedskating title of the organization, accumulating points in the half-mile, mile, two-mile, and five-mile events in Fort Worth, Texas.

It helped that in 1952, his father, Raymond, had built the Riverside Rollerdrome, so the youngster never had to pay admission.

"The problem was," his wife said, "when everyone left, he had to sweep the floor."

On Saturday, April 26, Theodore W. Rendfrey, 69, of Moorestown, an owner and operator of several roller skating rinks over the years, died of multiple myeloma at his home.

The Rendfrey family currently own and operate the Cherry Hill Skating Center, the Holiday Skating Center in Delanco, and the Palace Roller Skating Center in Northeast Philadelphia.

Born in Riverside, Mr. Rendfrey graduated from Riverside High School in 1963 and served in the New Jersey National Guard, with active duty in South Korea in 1968-69.

He and his wife married in 1969.

She herself had earned skating distinction.

"I won the world championship in figure skating in 1962 in Brisbane, Australia," from what is now the Roller Skating Association International, she said.

With his wife and his father, Mr. Rendfrey expanded the family interests.

From 1970 to 1973, she said, the Rendfreys leased and operated the former Alpine Skating Center in Camden.

The family closed the Riverside Rollerdrome in 1971, when they built and opened the Holiday Skating Center in Delanco.

They built the Echelon Skating Center in Voorhees in 1976, operated it until it was sold in 2000, and built and opened the Cherry Hill Skating Center in 1973.

And in 1979, they converted an ice-skating rink into the Palace Roller Skating Center, on Roosevelt Boulevard near Woodhaven Road.

Not only does each of the current three Rendfrey rinks host "a lot of birthday parties and PTAs and churches," she said, but "we have roller hockey programs," that begin with lessons for preschoolers.

Besides his wife of 44 years, Mr. Rendfrey is survived by his mother, Doris; son Todd; daughter Meghan McDonough; and four grandsons.

A life celebration was set from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 1, and from 8:30 to 10 a.m. Friday, May 2, at Snover Givnish of Cinnaminson funeral home, 1200 Route 130, with a Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 2, at St. Peter's Church, 101 Middleton St., Riverside. Interment will be in Lakeview Memorial Park, Cinnaminson.

Donations may be sent to the Abramson Cancer Center at www.penncancer.org.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.snovergivnish.com.