Robert Boyce Teetsel

Robert Boyce (Bob) Teetsel, 96, found his greatest sense of purpose serving others. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on August 14, 1929, to Charles Fenton Teetsel and Mary Louise Wilbanks. After living in several states while growing up the family moved to Phoenix in 1945. Bob graduated from North Phoenix High School in 1947, where he had made many lifelong friends. After attending Phoenix College and Arizona State College (now ASU), Bob enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and worked for four years as a cryptographer, with assignments including Florence and Naples, Italy, during the Korean War. His military service fueled his patriotic spirit and provided many stories for him to share through the years. Participating in an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., in 2018 with his son Mark was very meaningful to him.

Following his military service, Bob married Barbara Grace Wheat on December 30, 1955. Their family soon grew to include two sons, Bob and Mark, and daughter, Kathy. During this time Bob also began his career in the automobile business, which took him to Los Angeles and then to Casper, Wyoming. Bob’s work as a District Manager for the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors kept him on the road Monday through Friday, until his transfer to Phoenix permanently in 1968. He always enjoyed the camaraderie he had with the many automobile dealers he knew.

Bob’s early retirement from GM in 1987 did not slow him down at all. He and Barbara bought property in Greer, Arizona, where they had camped for many years, and built a cabin that the whole family enjoyed. Bob also began his “second career” as an active volunteer. He worked three days a week for the American Cancer Society and would be honored later as their volunteer of the year. Though not a cowboy, he became an honorary member of the Maricopa County Mounted Sheriff’s Posse for his dedication to serving the members of the posse.

After Barbara’s death in 1999, Bob began serving as an usher and greeter at Scottsdale Bible Church, where he continued to show up faithfully every Sunday for the next 25 years. He remained a widower until an old friend put him in touch with Lael Treat (Muehlebach), who had been his date for the prom in 1947. Old feelings were quickly rekindled and they married on his 82nd birthday in 2011, surrounded by their children and grandchildren. They were blessed to enjoy 15 wonderful years together.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Charles F. Teetsel, Jr., and his daughter, Mary Katherine Teetsel-Styner. He is survived by his wife, Lael, sons Robert D. Teetsel (Cheryl) and Mark A. Teetsel (Nancy), and five grandchildren, Marie Riley (Devin), Eric Teetsel (Abby), Emily Tabor (Joseph), Tressa Teetsel, and Patrick Teetsel (Camila), eight great-grandchildren, and four step-children, Candyce Treat, Sherre Treat, Charles Treat, and Christopher Treat (Angela). A celebration of life service will be held in the Scottsdale Bible Church’s Grace Chapel on July 18th at 12p.m., lunch to follow. Contributions to honor Bob may be made to Honor Flight Arizona (honorflightaz.org).