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Obituaries

A Life Worth Remembering: Beverly Teichmiller, Retired Pastor at The Stone Church

Memorial services were Saturday for D. Beverly Teichmiller, 79, a retired associate pastor at The Stone Church in Orland Park.

D. Beverly Teichmiller didn’t answer her calling until later in life, but once she did she had a profound influence on the members of The Stone Church in Orland Park.

“She enjoyed being a pastor,” said her daughter Nancy Teichmiller. “She was probably the smartest woman I ever met and had a profound impact on the people she helped.”

Pastor Teichmiller, who served as an associate pastor at The Stone Church from 1991 to 2005,, died Tuesday at home surrounded by her family after a lengthy battle with leukemia. She was 79.

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She started as a pastor at The Stone Church after being licensed and never left.

As a pastor at The Stone Church, “she used to handle the women’s ministry,” her daughter said. “One of her responsibilities was ministering to young women in the Missionettes.

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“I remember one of her former Missionettes came to visit her in the hospital. She had that kind of effect on people.”

Before receiving her ministerial license from the Assemblies of God church, Pastor Teichmiller had a career as a teacher in Riverside and DeKalb.

“I still run into people who remember my mom being their teacher. She left an impression on them.”

Before finally heading down the road to becoming a pastor, she also received licenses from the Illinois Department of Insurance and the National Association of Security Dealers.

Many of her accomplishments came after losing her husband, Eldred Teichmiller in 1970.

“She could do whatever she put her mind to,” said her daughter. “She was that smart.

“She used to do crossword puzzles every day right up until the end. Word jumbles, too. That’s how she kept her mind so sharp.”

Pastor Teichmiller had been in declining health for the past several months, her daughter said.

“She beat cancer when she was younger,” her daughter said. “But those treatments eventually led to her developing leukemia.”

Her daughter praised the doctors at for treating her mother with respect during her fight.

“The doctors were particularly lovely to my mother,” she said. “Especially, Dr. Subramanya Rao, and Dr. Alex DeJong and his brother Dr. Richard DeJong.”

Survivors include her son Steven (Diane) Teichmiller, of Steger; daughter Nancy (Deb) Teichmiller, of Elgin; two brothers, Victor Novander and Kenneth Novander; a sister Yvonne Sumption; three grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and cousins.

A memorial service was held Saturday at The Stone Church. Memorials to the American Cancer Society are requested. Arrangements were by .

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