Mayilon Oswald Teter was born April 3, 1939, in Jacksonville Florida, to Geneva Clifford Teter and Ernest Mayilon Teter. His given name, Mayilon, was his father's middle name, and his middle name, "Oswald," after his grandfather on his mother's side. Mayilon passed away peacefully on October 30, 2022, at their family home in Rowlett Texas. He was a "PK" - preachers' kid, attended 12 different public schools in 12 years, graduating from high school in Texarkana, Arkansas. He then then attended 2 years at East Texas State University AKA Texas A&M Commerce. He was the youngest of three children…Mary, Frances & "little" Mayilon. He is preceded in death by his parents as well as both of his sisters, his nephews, Scott & Stewart. The hardest loss was the death of our own son, Damon Teter in 1989.

Surviving family members: wife, Penny Low Teter; daughter, Anda Bracken & husband, Matt; son, Tommy Minter & wife, Jennifer; as well as Jennifer's parents, Willlie & Marilyn hicks; grandchildren: Samantha Minter & spouse, Dallas Frasier, as well as her mother, Tanya Lawson Minter; Axel Bracken, Alex Bracken & husband, Daniel; Christina Carranza, Jessica Carranza. Great granddaughter: Brookelynn Heflin; niece, Kasey Minter; brother-in-law, Joe Harding; nephew, Steve Harding & wife Lauren & their son, Ethan. He also claims all of Penny's & her sisters' families…the Scully, Snyder, Lindsey, Krodle & Millard families. Also, a part of our extended family, tommy, father's side - aunt: Barbara Minter Shields, cousins: Tina Shields, Susan Pleasant Dewese & family, Greg Pleaseant & family. Extended family of our daughter on her mother's side, are uncles: Tom Ray, Earnest Ray; aunt: Betty Ray Nash; cousins: Ronnie Ray, Mike Ray, Roger Ray, Mickie Ray, Wayne Ray, Gary Ray, Diane Ray, Josh Ray, Stephanie Ray Kuster and all their families. We also consider many very close friends who we have grown to love & respect as a part of our extended family. Some of these are our Amway family, our church families (previous & present), our work & customer family & our community & neighborhood family.

Mayilon, a native of Jacksonville, Florida, came to Texas by way of Arkansas. Most of his life he always strived to go above and beyond in everything he did. You might say he was a perfectionist. He always took great pleasure in being able to help someone else…it did not matter if it was to help fix a car or build a barn. Mayilon found his passion early in life when he and his best friend in Texarkana, Arkansas, started their first business at age 16, by going into the printing business. I guess you might say it was successful, since in a few years they sold this little business to the American Baptist Association, with the agreement that Mayilon stay on board as their pressman. During his time with the ABA, after work, he also furthered his own knowledge of the printing industry by attending East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas, which was about a two-hour drive one way. After several moves in employment from Texarkana, Arkansas…to Little Rock, Arkansas…to Wolf City, Texas…then to the Dallas area. He moved to Rowlett, Texas in the early 1970's and then he started his next business…American Photographics. From this color separations business, he found his niche and was truly innovative in creating procedures that streamlined the industry. During this time, he traveled to various places and taught classes in the Dallas ISD with the hope of building some interest in the printing industry. This was a time when his daughter, Anda, had an opportunity to spend some special time with her dad. At the young age of 12, she worked after school & summers, alongside her dad, learning about the lithographic trade, answering the phones, taking orders, helping him make deliveries & cleaning their office building. All the while learning about her dad's love for the "disco age" while riding with him in his El Camino truck… listening to the 8-track tapes of the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Elvis, Linda Ronstadt, Barbara Streisand & John Denver. In his new hometown of Rowlett, Texas, Mayilon was helpful in starting a Boy Scouts of America program that still is in place today. While living in Rowlett, Mayilon met and married Penny Teter. They merged their families (children: Anda, Damon and Tommy) on November 7, 1980. With everyone having "strong" personalities, it has been an interesting journey…never a dull moment! Mayilon & Penny (an insurance agent and a former schoolteacher) at the time of their marriage, established a printing & type setting shop in North Dallas, as well as an Amway distributorship, shortly after their marriage…both businesses were successful. As time went on and the world economy was changing, our middle child, Damon, had passed away because of cancer…it was time to sell the printing business. Mayilon attempted retirement, until penny suggested he might want to find something else to keep him busy and hopefully to keep him from reorganizing her kitchen, her projects, and her life. One day, a good friend, Mike Neal, called and suggested that Mayilon might want to go to work for American General Life Insurance Company where he had recently gone to work. So mayilon decided to go…since he & Penny had worked together in their print shop, she decided she would go to interview for a job too. So, they did and were both hired. Mayilon lasted 5 years…the drive to be in business for himself was just too strong. Along with Penny and our son, Tommy, recently honorably discharged from the Army after 7 years, went into a new venture, Mr. T's Landscapes Landcare (the "T" stood for Tommy & Teter) later to become the Teter Group, Inc. Tommy, left the company to pursue a new career as a Fireman for the city of Garland…serving 24 years to date.

Mayilon's greatest joy in this new venture was getting to know every customer. Visiting with them & helping them beautify their properties and/or successfully complete a project. He also greatly appreciated all our employees & venders who were and continue to be a great help in the success of his final creation," The Teter Group, Inc." Penny, with a lot of support from family, Anda, Matt, Tommy, Travis, Wyatt as well as many others, continues the family business.

After 3 surgeries in about 3 months, Mayilon fell and fractured his hip. After all the surgeries, the last one (although it was successful) was just too much. He was just not himself after the last surgery. Thank you to Tommy & his wife Jennifer, every friend, neighbor, and family member who brought food…we were all so very tired during the time Mayilon was in the hospital as well as when he was at home, we had no time or energy to prepare food. We are also so grateful for the countless prayers for our beloved papa. We brought Mayilon home and started the wonderful Alinea Hospice Care Program out of Terrell, Texas. Everyone was such a blessing to Mayilon & our family. Matt & Anda literally stayed by Papa's side day & night. Even though Matt was often in pain himself from recent back surgery & Anda often was running fever and very ill herself due to auto-immune issues along with a recent diagnosis of esophageal cancer. Previously, before Mayilon was so very sick, Matt would take Papa on little road trips in "Big Bertha" (dually work truck) to check on how things were going on various projects. Also, gave Mayilon time to get input from Matt regarding the Landcare business, since a few years ago Matt, a master mechanic, had owned the same type of business and later worked with us, The Teter Group, Inc., for a short time. Guess you might say…Matt was driving…" Mr. T" (rather than Miss Daisey).

But we have to say that Matt Bracken was Mayilon's preferred care giver No one could do anything right except Matt…he was so kind & loving all the time to Papa. Our family laughs & cries at the same time… Mayilon, in the middle of the night, would demand to put on his pants…said we needed to start the car…because he had appointments to keep.

In Lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to the

Lt. Todd Krodle Memorial Foundation