Vaughn Teel

Vaughn Arvel was born to Andy Roy Teel and Alvaree Jernigan on January 14th, 1951 in Artesia, New Mexico. Due to an unexpected medical issue, Andy Roy passed away when Vaughn was 2. Alvaree  later married Slim Stewart and he raised him as his own.

Vaughn graduated from Weed High School in 1968. He attended college at ENMU Portales and NMSU in Las Cruces however college didn’t suit him so he joined the Army and served both active duty and the Reserves for 6 years. He some pretty cool memories from his time. 

He married Doreen Wood in November of 1976, a marriage that would last for over 45 years. 

He was a jack of all trades; a rancher, logger, truck driver, owned a few school busses, owned the Pinon Store for 14 years, and hardly missed a weekend “bouncing” at the Desperado Bar in Alamogordo, New Mexico. He also thrived on operating large equipment any chance he had. If you’ve never had a near death experience with Vaughn in a dozer, on the side of a pine tree filled bluff, you haven’t lived. 

Music was a big part of his life. He could play almost any instrument you put in front of him, a talent we were both in awe of, and jealous of as well. He spent some time playing music with the likes of Chris Ledoux, Hyram Posey, Bobby Flores, and Joe Delk but his favorite moments were in Dell City, jamming with his Lewis family and the rest of the Dell City bunch. He played for many of the dances in Weed and played a lot with his beloved father-in-law, Joe Pete Wood. Christmas at the Wood house was not Christmas unless they had a music session.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents, Arvel and Ruth Jernigan, Andy and Ida Teel, father, Andy Roy Teel, “Daddy” Slim Stewart, in-laws Joe Pete and Ruth Wood, and brother-in-law Jim Steinback. 

He is survived by his mother, Alvaree Stewart, his loving wife Doreen Teel, daughters, Vonda (Rankin) Frost and Ara (Earnest) Campbell. Granddaughters, Lindsey (Lane) Waldrop, Baylee Cooper, and Tegan Frost. Grandsons, Bradley Cooper and Rett Frost. Sisters, AndaRee (Terry) Pierce, and Tana Steinback (Jim), brother, Boyd (Melissa) Stewart, his first cousin Sam Teel, who lived a lot of Dad’s stories first hand. Three sisters-in-law, Frances Grinder, Mary Lou Martin, Margie Wood and their families. As well as numerous nieces and nephews, family and friends who he loved very much. 

He was buried in a private service on Monday, December 20th. Pallbearers were Rankin Frost, Cory Gorby, Wayne Shockey, Jet Tucker, Stetson Elkins, Doyle Magby and Doyce Magby. 

Honorary pallbearers were Sam Teel, Randy Walker, Kelly Byrom, Lane Waldrop, Earnest Campbell, Rob Ladd, Terry Garrett, Marty Posey, Will Crockett, Steve Meador, Rusty Fleming, Tom Townsend, Lynn Salyer and Wayne Hazelett. 

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: 

Cowboys for Cancer Research

P.O. Box 202

Dona Ana, NM 88032

Or a charity of your choice. 

We would like to thank Arden Lewis and his family for assisting with the cemetery and taking care of all the details. And everyone in the community who helped us come together. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Vaughn Teel, please visit our floral store.