Mary Jane LeFevre Teal

Mary Jane LeFevre Teal, 80, of Abilene, passed away on March 4, 2008. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul United Methodist Church at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 7, 2008. A visitation with the family will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 6 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Jane was born in Eden, Texas on February 27, 1928 to Walter and Hazie LeFevre. She graduated from Eden High School, and received both a BA and a MA in Music Education from North Texas College in Denton. She first taught high school orchestra in San Angelo. She moved to Abilene in 1951, where she taught orchestra and then sixth grade in the Abilene ISD for thirty years. Jane met Tommie Teal in 1958 while both were teaching at Lincoln Junior High School, and they married July 27, 1958. Tommie passed away in December 1999. Music was one of Jane's life-long passions, and she played string bass in the Abilene Philharmonic Orchestra for many years. She was an avid genealogist, and did volunteer work at both the Abilene Public Library and the LDS library, and was active in the Abilene Genealogical Society. She attended retired teachers' luncheons, and was also a member of the Abilene Mothers Study Club. Jane attended St. Paul United Methodist Church where she was a member of the Griswold Sunday School class and played piano for the class each Sunday for almost fifty years. She also enjoyed attending church dinners, concerts, and Bible study. Members of the Griswold class will serve as honorary pallbearers. Jane was a generous and exemplary daughter, sister, wife, mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. She was always more concerned about others than herself. Her faith was unwavering. She always found joy in life, and faced adversity, including cancer, with infinite grace: no complaining, no worrying, no fear. Survivors include: son, Gary Teal and wife Arabella, and children India and Mason of Washington D.C.; son, Ron Teal and wife Venita, of Abilene, and sons Jackson, of Abilene and Jeffrey, of College Station; daughter, Laurie Teal and husband Hamish Dempster, and sons Finlay and Tavish Dempster of Wellington, New Zealand; brother, Walter LeFevre, Jr. and wife Joyce of Springdale, AK, and their children; and sister-in-law, Dovie Teal of Dallas. Memorials may be sent in honor of Jane Teal to the Cancer Services Network, 240 Cypress, Abilene, Texas 79601.