Bradford Chaney Teel

Brad, age 64, left this life the evening of Aug. 1. Brad had been playing tennis with friends the evening of July 28 (and most likely winning due to a known strong forehand) when he suffered complications from a head injury, an event that proved too large for him to recover from. When he passed he was surrounded by his loving family and many great friends, and we are sure, too, by His Maker, who was surely preparing Brad’s travel arrangements for his next great adventure. Brad was born in Hillsboro, but grew up in Corvallis after his family moved there in 1956 when his father, Harry, began working with the engineering firm of CH2M. Brad attended Washington Elementary School, Highland View Junior High School, Corvallis High School and Oregon State University. He went on to create a family, and a business there: he loved the Corvallis community. During Brad’s early years in the travel industry he met the love of his life, Alicia Javier, while both were working in San Francisco. There they created a lifelong love spark that never diminished. They married July 4, 1975 (true patriots), and in the ensuing years had three wonderful children, Celeste, Travis and Nicole, and subsequently five adorable grandchildren who added immeasurably to their love, pride and enjoyment of family. After Brad and Alica opened Teel’s Travel Planners in 1984, the business thrived and grew and met the many challenges that were presented to the changing travel industry, a testament to the high standards, hard work, care and enthusiasm Brad and Alicia gave to their enterprise and the people they worked with. Brad cared, and that showed on a daily basis, with every interaction and effort he made. Brad grew up enjoying fly fishing with his father and brother Brett; this became one of his life's major outlets for both adventure and relaxation. He loved fishing the eastern streams, rivers and lakes of the Cascades and Central Oregon, and traveled to Patagonia, New Zealand, Montana and Alaska to fish with both friends and family. He also greatly enjoyed upland game bird hunting with the enduring companionship of Sadie, his springer spaniel. He and Sadie often drove deep into Eastern Oregon to meet other hunting companions, seeking the grandness and openness of the vast country around Juntura and Jordan Valley for their mutually shared sport. As an avid traveler Brad voyaged to six of the seven continents, missing only Antarctica, where, with more time, he would have adventured as well. It was adventure travel that he found the most exhilarating and his excitement was contagious. From running with the bulls in Pamplona as a young man, to exploring the islands of the Pacific, and extremely diverse places like Alaska and Dubai, he always returned with a sparkle in his eye and wondrous stories to tell. His most recent adventure took him to South Africa and came back so moved he was quoted as saying, “If, in your lifetime, you can only travel to two continents, it must be: Africa and Africa!” He was so moved by the animals, in their environment, the people and the history that he immediately began planning trips there for many of the people who loved traveling with him. Brad had a strong sense that one should be involved in their community, and during his life and career he presided over several organizations for two terms or more including Kiwanis Club, Timberhill Tennis Club, Mackenzie Masters and Riverside Travel Group. He also greatly enjoyed his involvements with the Rotary International Exchange Program, Odyssey of the Mind, The Beaver Club, Oregon State University's Athletics Department, Fly Fisher’s Place in Sisters, the Elks Club of Corvallis, the Lions Club of Corvallis, Corvallis Chamber of Commerce, Corvallis Bureau and Corvallis' Sister City Program with Uzhhorod, Ukraine, and Gondar, Ethiopia. He was often recognized with appreciation and awards for his leadership, service, ability as an organizer and his philanthropy. Brad was a one-off. He was warm, welcoming, generous, compassionate, competitive and kind. His quick and terrific sense of humor, booming laugh and gentle heart, will all be deeply missed by his family and by the many fine friends he made and those he had the pleasure to work with. To laugh with him was to be loved, to speak with him was to be heard, and to have known him was to have a friend. Brad is survived by his wife, Alicia Teel of Corvallis; daughter Celeste Teel, partner Jonny Walker of Portland and their daughter, Maia; son Travis Teel of Oakland, California, and his daughter, Kaya; daughter Nicole Sageman, husband Jarith and daughters Jaden, Chloe and Kiera of Corvallis; mother Delores Teel of Redmond; brother Bruce Teel and wife JoAnne Dunec of Berkeley, California; sister Susan Simes, husband David of Vancouver, Washington, and their children Jason Simes and wife Heather and their daughter Isabella of Glenburn, North Dakota; son Andrew Simes of New York City, New York; and daughter Kylie Robinson and her son, Cole of Vancouver, Washington; brother Brett Teel of Camas, Washington; and sister Shelley Teel of Tualatin, and her son, Brian Setniker of Tigard; and springer spaniel Sadie, age 11. Join us for a celebration of his life at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 21, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 501 N.W. 25th St., Corvallis. A reception at the church will follow the celebration. Contributions in Brad's memory may be made to The Corvallis Kiwanis Foundation sent in care of McHenry Funeral Home, 206 NW 5th St, Corvallis, OR 97330.

Tributes

Bradford Chaney Teel

October 3, 1950 - August 1, 2015