Stephen Teel Goodwin

1958 - 2020

Stephen Teel Goodwin

Stephen Teel Goodwin died peacefully at home Wednesday afternoon on December 30th, 2020, concluding his seven year battle with colon cancer at the age of 62. Teel proved to maintain his luminous sense of humor to the very end, bringing smiles to those around him even when it was tough to do so himself.

Teel was preceded in death by his mother, Marian Jane Newman, his father, William Teel Goodwin, and his sister, Sally Jane Goodwin. He was survived by his wife, Linda Snapp Goodwin, and son, Spencer Teel Goodwin.

Born on September 15th, 1958 in Richmond, Virginia, Teel was quickly adopted by Billy and Jane Goodwin. He found himself in a loving home in Orange, Virginia. As a boy, Teel went to Grymes Memorial School before moving on to attend Woodberry Forest School as a day student. After graduating in May of 1976, Teel enrolled at the College of William and Mary. Two years later, he transferred to Mary Washington College to continue his studies, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology in 1981.

Teel and Linda later married in 1982 at the Orange Catholic Church. Shortly afterwards, Teel began work at the Goodwin Brothers Lumber Company, where he worked for the following 13 years. After his first five years, he found himself the manager, a position he maintained until the sawmill was sold in 1990. Teel quickly moved on, becoming a salesman for Union Corrugating. Ten years later, he became the general manager of the Union plant, a position he held for the following 19 years before retiring.

Teel possessed a great passion for Orange County, leading him to run for the Board of Supervisors. He was first elected to the board in 2008 and served for the following 13 years, eight of which as the chairman or vice-chairman. Teel inspired a great deal of change in his time in office, assisting in the creation of a public safety center and radio system along with the expansion of broadband service throughout the county. He served on committees such as Orange Downtown Alliance to assist small businesses in the town.

Throughout his years, Teel made a lasting impression on his town and those in it. Guided by his fundamental principle, he always sought to help his fellow man and better his community. His ability to brighten a room with a quick joke along with his sound reason will be missed greatly.

The funeral service for Teel is going to be held on Wednesday, January 6th, 2021 at 2pm. With consideration taken to the Covid-19 pandemic, the service will be held at 730 James Madison Highway, a piece of property owned by the Orange Baptist Church. This will allow those that wish to pay their respects to Teel to do so from the safety of their vehicle. The service will take place on a stage in the field, where guests will be able to hear the ceremony over a loudspeaker or tune in on their radios. A celebration of Teel's life will be held later in the year, once the threat of Covid-19 has subsided.

The family would like to give a special thank you to Hospice of the Piedmont for their exceptional care and kindness throughout his illness. Additionally, they would like to thank the Orange Baptist Church for providing a Covid friendly location for the funeral service. In Lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Hospice of the Piedmont or the Boys and Girls Club of Orange.