DL Capt. Don J. Teeple

~ IN MEMORY ~

DL Capt. Don J. Teeple

May 2, 1935 ~ February 8, 2015

Friends and family have advised us of the passing of Delta Golden Wings member retired Delta pilot Captain Donald Jefferys Teeple, age 79.  Captain Teeple joined Delta Air Lines 09-10-1956 and retired with Delta in 1995, based 030/DFW.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Stewart Family Funeral Home located at 

 7525 Old Jacksonville Hwy in Tyler TX 75703  ...  (903) 581-2008   ...  www.stewartfamilyfuneral.com 

Survived by his wife Chris personal condolences may be sent to the family at 4930 W. Twin Lakes Dr., Tyler TX 75704-5430 ...  (903) 592-3394 ~ chrishteeple@aol.com  Chris writes, "I cannot begin to tell you what your cards, calls and visits meant to him and even though I had known he was well-liked, I think I was surprised at just how much he meant to you.  For that, Amy and I thank you and are comforted by your love for him. 

Thanks and love, Chris".

Visitation will be held this Thursday evening, February 12th from 5:00-7:00 PM with services the next day Friday at 2:30 PM at Stewart Family Funeral Home of Tyler TX.  Burial and graveside service will be at a later date in the family cemetery in Georgia.

Thank you,

~ Carol for the PCN 

In Memory

DFW Captain Don Teeple

1935-2015

Services for Donald Jefferys Teeple, 79, of Tyler, will be held on Friday, February 13, 2015 at 2:30 PM at Stewart Family Funeral Home with Rev. Lanny Bridges and Dr. Aubrey Sharpe officiating under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Burial will be held at a later date in the Arabi Cemetery in Cordele, GA.
Mr. Teeple was born in Niagra Falls, NY, on May 2, 1935, to Nelson Saville and Helen McLean Teeple. The family moved to Dallas TX in 1944, where Don lived until he began his professional career. 
Don attended a number of schools in Dallas, Lon Morris Junior College in Jacksonville, and SMU in Dallas for a short period of time. He never received a high school diploma, a story which he relished telling in later years. When he developed his interest in what would be a most rewarding career of commercial aviation, he decided to attend American Flyers in Fort Worth where he earned his private pilots’ and commercial aviation certificates. In 1956, he was hired by Delta Air Lines, one of the youngest pilots hired. He had an unblemished and distinguished career which ended in 1995 when he retired holding the distinction of being the number one Captain worldwide on Delta’s Pilot Seniority list.
In the early 60’s, Don and his best friend from childhood, also a Delta pilot, became cattle ranchers in NW Arkansas, running a very successful and productive operation, the Cloud Nine Ranch, for a number of years. After the sale of the ranch, he fostered his interest in the restaurant business by becoming an investor/owner in a number of restaurants in Texas, Missouri and North Carolina. Don had an instinctive ability to sense good investments, becoming as successful in his retirement as he was in the choice of his life’s work.
His love for NW Arkansas remained for many years and he and his wife, Chris, continued to own property on Beaver Lake with the idea of retiring and “splitting time” with their home in Rockport, Texas. However, a visit to Tyler with friends led them to move to Tyler in 1999 where they truly felt at home.  In Tyler, he was a supportive member of the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum. He was also a member of Willowbrook Country Club and the Cascades Club. 
Along with his wife of 47 years, Chris Hamilton Teeple, he is survived by his beloved daughter, Amy, and her husband, Gary Nelson; two grandsons of whom he was immensely proud , Daniel and Noah Nelson, all of Frisco, TX. He is also survived by one sister, Nancy (Wendell) Faeh, of Central City, NE; two brothers-in-law whom he felt were his brothers, Earl (Mary Garland) Hamilton and Herbert (June) Hamilton of Cordele, GA. He is survived by a number of nieces and nephews as well. In additional to the family, as evidenced by the recent visits, phone calls, and cards, he leaves a large group of very devoted friends and business associates from all across the country.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Dr. J. R. Pope, Ray Barber, Wayland Brooks, James Salzmann, Charles Parmley and Ben Lester.
Visitation is scheduled from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Thursday, February 12, 2015 at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway, in Tyler.

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From: Jim Salzmann Sent: Sunday, February 08, 2015 7:11 AM

To: death@pilotcommunication.net

Subject: CAPTAIN DON J. TEEPLE 

 

Don Teeple’s daughter just called me to let the Delta pilot group know that Captain Don Teeple passed away peacefully early this morning with his wife, Chris and daughter, Amy at his bedside. Her message to us follows:
After a day and night of labored, rattling breathing, Don died quietly and peacefully at 5:45 this morning.  Amy arrived last night and we were together.  Gary had cancelled his trip to Colorado last night to stay with the boys in order for Amy to come be with her dad.

We will be making arrangements later today, but tentative plans are for a service here in Tyler, with a graveside service in my family cemetery in Georgia.  (He thought it was ironic that I was finally getting him to reside in my beloved Georgia!)

I will try to let you know of our plans, but please pass the information along in case I missed someone in this e-mail.

Thanks..,

Chris 

 

Many of us will very much miss Don, but he has left us with many good memories of a very good man with a wonderful wife and family.

Don was employed with Delta [DFW] on September 10, 1956 and would have turned 80 years old in May.

Our thoughts are with his family,

Jim Salzmann

--------------------------

2/8 …  After struggling with his "rattling" breathing yesterday and last night, Don quietly took his last breath at 5:45 this morning.  Amy had come last night and she and I were with him.  It was finally peaceful for him.

We will have a service here in Tyler later this week.We are meeting tomorrow morning to finalize plans and I will take him to Georgia to be buried with my family.  (He finally agreed to  move to my beloved Georgia!)

I cannot begin to  tell  you what your cards,  calls, and visits meant to him and  even though I had known he was well-liked, I think  I was surprised at just how much he meant to you.  For that, Amy and I thank you and  are comforted by your love for him.

Thanks and love....Chris 

NOTE: a memorial gift will be sent to the Roanoke Food Pantry from the LINK

2/1 …  I haven't sent an e-mail recently as Don has remained the same until yesterday.  Apparently, according to Bryant, our caregiver during the week, he did not sleep at all Friday night and was very disoriented and lethargic yesterday.  After our night sitter arrived last night, I was in the kitchen and thought I heard something and went in to check only to find that Don had fallen while trying to get back in bed from the bedside commode.  Fortunately, our friends from Arkansas, Mary Ann and Johnny, are here.  Johnny, Jamar (our sitter) and I finally managed to get him back in bed with only a scraped arm.

I had removed the phones and the TV controls from the room, closed the blinds, and he managed to sleep about 6 hours yesterday.  During the night, however, he has been restless and has not slept well. Johnny (a retired cardiologist) thinks that Don is dehydrated so we have been trying to increase his fluid intake as well as urging nutritional drinks. 

I was aware of some activity in his room during the night and Jamar just told me that he has had a very restless night.  Since I had removed the phones, controls, etc., he has just been fidgeting with anything he touches...but at least doesn't have the TV on to distract him.

I don't know how to ask you to pray but I know that you will find the words, know our needs, and petition our Father for what He knows we need and can handle.  The one thing I will ask is that you pray Don settles and rests, as I know he is exhausted.  

Will try to do a better job of keeping you informed.....Love, Chris

1/3 … I thought you would perhaps like an update on Don and how he is faring at home.  The Hospice nurse visited yesterday and we are expecting a Hospice Home Health Aide today.  The Aide is set to come 3 times a week, the nurse once a week.  I also have a sitter, Bryant,  from Visiting Angels here at night from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m.  which has been the MOST tremendous help as I am finally sleeping at night....evidently I slept through a thunderstorm last night after going to bed at 8:30!

Don is still pain-free, alert, but weaker.  We have his hospital bed set up right in front of his big screen TV, which pleases him very much, and everything needed is right beside his bed.  He can move, with Bryant's assistance, to a recliner sometimes during the night if he wants to be moved.  

Yesterday, with directions from Don in the media room, I was in his office "taking care of business" and that may have attributed to my exhaustion!  BUT, as he said, I have already learned something. (His bookkeeping method is a lot different from what I did when I had my business!)

One thing I have learned about at-home illness is the isolation we feel.  While he is not up to much or long visiting, he has enjoyed the phone calls and e-mails.  Our world now revolves around the care he needs, though he is not demanding at all.  I have a sitter coming for an "interview" on Monday and if that works out, it will give me time to go to the grocery store, drug store, or even meet someone for lunch....a much-needed balm!  The requirement most needed in a "sitter" is that he/she be trained as a CNA.  I do not need someone who just "sits and knits" as the saying goes. 

I hope this gives you an idea of how things are here...as I said earlier, we are okay as long as we have the assistance we have now.  When you say your prayers, please include Bryant, the young man who comes to be with us at night, as this has to truly be a calling for him...not just a job!  

Please keep in touch....you are our links to the outside world!  Love…Chris  

12/31 from Chris Teeple… Tomorrow, we are moving Don home from Hospice Homeplace.  He will remain in Hospice care but will be at home in a hospital bed in front of his big screen TV, which he has missed terribly! 

I have a sitter lined up for tomorrow night (8 p.m.- 8 a.m.) and will be setting up a schedule so that he has relief from me and I can become more familiar with WalMart, the cleaners, the grocery, Sam's, the hardware store. Tractor's Supply, etc....well, you get the picture! Needless to say, he is looking forward to being at home and we are praying that this "lull" continues for a while.  He is experiencing swelling in his left leg due to a blockage and we hope that it does not put additional pressure on his kidney.  

It seems that we walk a tight rope of balance these days.  He remains in good spirits with only mild discomfort and no real pain.  The doctors caution us that the bleeding can resume at any time so we are grateful that has not happened yet.

As long as Don is able to roll over by himself, I think i can manage his care with some assistance.  He is making a real effort to eat once again, which he had not done for the last couple of weeks...with the exception of ice cream.

All that to say...he has come a long way but is, by no means, healthy.  We are just praying for continued reasonable comfort and no pain.  Feel free to call him if you would like....preferably on his cell phone as it is more easily reached.  Will try to keep you updated!  Love…Chris