Services for Gene Allen Teel, 87 of Ada, are 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Criswell Funeral Home Chapel, Revs. Ralph Wangler, Don Jacob and Rayford Wallace will officiate. Burial will follow at Rosedale Cemetery. The Chickasaw Honor Guard will conduct military honors at the cemetery.
Gene was born September 22, 1930 in Bristow, OK to Sherman and Jessie May Crawford Teel. He journeyed to his eternal home Saturday, December 16, 2017.
He grew up in Roff and graduated from Roff High School in 1948. He enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard and was activated into the 45th Infantry Division of the U. S. Army to serve in the Occupation Forces in Japan at the conclusion of World War II, and in the Korean Conflict, returning in 1952.
In November, 1952, a friend introduced him to Jaunita Wade. Their introduction and first date began at the Montgomery Ward store in Ada, where they picked her up after work. Their “Catalog” Romance began, and was sealed by the Rev. Fred Roebuck, on April 28, 1953 at the First United Methodist Church, Fort Smith, AR. The two soul-mates celebrated 64 years of happy marriage this year.
Gene had five children: Patricia Jones (Danny) of Ada, Pamela Kirk of Konawa, Susan Kelley (Jack) of Sulphur, Wade Teel (Janie) of Ada and Gina Teel of Pine Bluff, AR. He was Pappa to seven grandchildren: Jeremy Walsh, Shane Jones, Troy Kelly, Leah Teel Lucio, Cherri Walsh, Kyle Jones and R. W. Vietzke. He had ten great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandsons.
Gene worked at a variety of jobs throughout his life; he worked over twenty for the U. S. Government at Kerr Research Center and the Sulphur Young Adult Conservation Corps. In 1983, he entered the ministry in the United Methodist Church and served churches at Francis, Sasakwa, Caddo, Kenefic, Bokchito, Maud and Wanette, retiring in 2011. He touched and was touched by the lives of many people in his years of ministry. He was a member of Mitchell Memorial United Methodist Church in Ada.
Bearers will be his grandchildren.
The family says those who wish may make memorials to Mitchell Memorial United Methodist Church, 221 W. 7th, Ada, OK 74820.
Criswell Funeral Home, Ada
