Donald Jefferys Teeple

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 Airlines, 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. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, TX 75701, The Historic Aviation Memorial Museum, 150 Airport Drive, Box 2-7, Tyler, TX 75704, or Green Acres Baptist Church, 1607 Troup Hwy, Tyler, TX 75701, and please note on the memo line who the donation is in memory of.

Donald Jefferys Teeple

May 2, 1935 - February 8, 2015