James R. Teachout

With unending devotion to his family and friends, Dick Teachout was a blessing in the lives of his loved ones. He was a hardworking man who lived with integrity and honor, and his subtle sense of humor made him so much fun to be around. Never one to worry about the little things, Dick’s faith was the compass he used to direct his steps, and he was known for his deeply spiritual roots. Loyal and caring, he was the sort of person whom everyone wanted to know. Deeply loved, Dick will never be forgotten.

Although the 1920s were time of great prosperity in America, the 1930s were a much different story as the entire decade was covered in the wet blanket of the Great Depression. Jobs were scarce, the unemployment rate soared, and countless American families found themselves without homes. Despite the trials around them, James A. and Wave (Stratton) Teachout were able to shift their focus to an exciting time in their own lives as they were eagerly awaiting the birth of their new baby as the calendar turned to welcome in January of 1934. Their wait finally ended when the baby boy they named James Richard made his arrival on January 16th in Comstock Township, Michigan. Dick as he was called was the fifth of eight children in his family and experienced a fairly typical childhood, attending local schools. As soon as he was old enough, Dick joined the Navy. He proudly served his country during the Korean era. Dick even boxed while in the service.

After his discharge from the military, Dick spent his career in cement construction. For many years, he owned and operated T & L Concrete Construction. He spent the last years of his working life at Mol-Son in Mattawan until retiring.

Dick’s greatest source of pride and joy was found in being a father to three amazing children: Jim, Debbie and Jeff. He loved everything about being a family man, and things only got better when he became a grandfather to four grandchildren. Dick especially loved his surprise birthday party visits from his grandkids, Christopher and Bryanna, who came all the way from California. He also looked forward to family reunions every year. As his grandchildren got older, Dick was so proud of all of them as they graduated from school. Currently, Dick’s grandchildren include a lawyer, one who is in medical school, one who is working in a museum and one who is seeing the world while doing missionary work; everyone happy in their chosen field was what made Dick such a proud grandfather.

Throughout his life, Dick was someone who kept busy. A highly spiritual man, he was a member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. If Dick was not attending Sunday services, he was listening to a sermon on his radio. A football lover, he was a Lions fan who also enjoyed watching his son coach football. Dick loved a good boxing match, and with a son who races cars he loved riding in them and helping out at the races. He was a dog lover who had several canine companions over the years including his current fuzzy dog, Chief.

A longtime member of the community he loved, James Teachout was an extraordinary man to know and love. He was a devoted family man who loved nothing more than witnessing his family tree blossom to include the branches of loved ones who were his greatest source of pride and joy. Dick was never one to worry about what he had, rather, his focus was on giving to those around him in any way he could. He will be forever missed while his loved ones hold tightly to the memories they made together.

James R. Teachout, of Portage, died on October 17, 2015, at his home. Dick is survived by his children, Jim (Beth) Teachout and Debbie (Frank) Jew; grandchildren, Jenna (Seth Welton) Teachout, Christopher Jew, Bryanna Jew and Jordan Teachout; his sisters, Joyce VanBruggen, Nancy Purk, Kay Longnecker, and Barbara Cobb as well as many other relatives. He was preceded in death by his son Jeffrey Teachout and his siblings Ginger Diamon, Robert Teachout, Pat White and Bea Breithaupt. Visit with his family on Saturday October 24 from 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church; 1747 W. Milham, Portage where a funeral service will follow at 1:00 p.m. Visit his memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory and sign his guest book. Memorial donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.