Ted L. Hand

A funeral service for Ted L. Hand, 88, of Tyler, will be held on Tuesday, January 14, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at Pleasant Retreat United Methodist Church west of Tyler with the Rev. Richard Luna officiating. Interment will follow at Tyler Memorial Park Cemetery in Tyler under the direction of Stewart Family Funeral Home. Mr. Hand passed away Friday, January 10, 2020 at his home in Tyler, with family by his side. He was born on June 23, 1931, in Tyler to the late Starley Hand Sr. and wife Josephine Hand. He graduated from Tyler High School and was a class of 1958 graduate of Texas A&M University with a degree in Floriculture. Mr. Hand served his country in the United States Air Force for over 3 years prior to attending college. He returned from military service and married Mary Eikner on July 26, 1956. He was a life-long member of Pleasant Retreat United Methodist Church where he also served as member and/or chair of several committees. He was active in the United Methodist Men’s Group. Mr. Hand was a lifelong, self-employed nurseryman, farmer and rancher. He was a second- generation Tyler commercial rose grower. Ted enjoyed deer hunting in the Texas Hill Country for decades with his wife and the deer camp meals, music and fellowship with close friends. He also enjoyed traveling to Alaska with his wife and friends, seeing the landscape where he spent two years of his years in the U.S. Air Force. Mr. Hand was a member of the Texas Rose Research Foundation and East Texas Farm and Ranch Club & Scholarship Fund. Mr. Hand was preceded in death by his parents, Mr. Starley Hand, Sr. and wife Josephine Hand; brother, Starley Hand, Jr.; sisters, Patricia Hand Armstrong and Sue Hand Payne. He is survived by a loving family including his wife of 63 years, Mary Eikner Hand; sons, Larry W. Hand and wife Dawn, Joe D. Hand and wife Vicki; and daughter, Judy L. Hand; grandchildren, Christopher Hand, Kyle Hand, Cody Hand and Taylor Hand; several great-grandchildren; and sister, Rosemary Hand Dawsey. Pallbearers will be Christopher Hand, Kyle Hand, Cody Hand, Larry Hand, Joe Hand and Clifton Stidham. Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Rozell, Paul Fisher and Herman Stidham. Visitation will be Monday, January 13, 2020 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Stewart Family Funeral Home, 7525 Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler. In lieu of flowers, memorials in memory of Ted L. Hand may be made to Pleasant Retreat United Methodist Church-Maintenance Fund, 417 CR 1143, Tyler, TX 75704 or The Hospice of East Texas Foundation, 4111 University Blvd., Tyler, TX 75701. The family would like to acknowledge the dedicated care given by Lenora Owens and Hospice of East Texas; and Betty Cuba.

Ted L. Hand

June 23, 1931 - January 10, 2020