Erwin was born March 17, 1945 in Schulenburg, Tx to Erwin Gustav Teltschik, Sr. and Leona Koehler Teltschik and grew up in Weimar, Tx, with his brother David. As a child, Erwin was interested in how things work, taking things apart and putting them back together. His father owned the Mobil station in Weimar and instilled in him a love of cars, hunting, and fishing, though he passed away when Erwin was only 12. At Weimar High School he was on the football team, played in the band, and ran track. After graduating, he went to work as a mechanic at Brasher Motor Company and attended Wharton Junior College before transferring to the University of Houston, where he majored in mathematics. He continued to work as an auto mechanic in Houston at Bob Darnell’s Shell station on the West Loop, and due to his problem-solving abilities and innate talent, area dealerships would send him cars that evaded repair by their mechanics. At the university, he met his wife Cynthia Diane, and after a whirlwind 6-week romance, the two were engaged and eventually married (and remained happily so for 53 years until his death).
Immediately after graduating from U of H, Erwin enlisted in the US Air Force in 1969, and attended pilot training school at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, Tx. His first assignment was Mather Air Force Base outside Sacramento, CA, in 1971, where his two children, Erwin Greg and Melissa Beth, were born. His next assignment was to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey, family in tow. As the most capable aviator at Incirlik, Erwin was made flight instructor for the base and functioned primarily as a VIP transport pilot, shuttling diplomats, dignitaries, and military brass in and around the region; his evaluations reflect his diligence, attention to detail, and excellent piloting skills. After an honorable discharge in 1974, he returned to Texas.
The Teltschik Family relocated briefly to Houston, Tx, where Erwin took a job as a geophysical seismic data processing technician with Teledyne Exploration, before moving to Missouri City, Tx, and eventually to Sugar Land, Tx. He remained with Teledyne as the Data Processing Manager until they closed in 1992, and then went to work for Paradigm Geophysical in their Technology R&D division until his retirement in 2011.
Throughout his life, Erwin never lost his love of airplanes and flying, the outdoors, working on cars, tinkering with all things mechanical and electrical, repairing appliances large and small, and trying his hands at various trades, including building numerous pieces of furniture. He often accomplished more in a Saturday morning around the house than most people did all weekend; he famously once transformed a stick dropped by a bird into a thriving house plant. You could usually find him outside around the house or in his garage keeping his cars immaculately clean. He continued in this fashion until the cancer made it impossible for him to do so, but he took it in stride and kept himself busy until the very end.
Erwin was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his wife Diane, children Greg Teltschik and Melissa Bowman, grandchildren Kaitlin, Jackson, and Kyle Bowman, and brother David Teltschik.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Houston Hospice, which provided the utmost care and support to Erwin during his final months, or to the Weimar Public Library in his name.
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Weimar Public Library
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