Frederick Anthony Tepel III

Frederick Anthony "Rick" Tepel III, 49, of Hollywood, MD, died tragically on May 18, 2019 after a private plane crashed into the ocean shortly after taking off from the island of Roatan on the Honduran coast. He and his best friend Tony Dubler and two work colleagues were on their way to a fly fishing excursion in Guanaja.
Left to honor and remember Rick are Paula Gallant Tepel; his children: Jackson and Carley; his sister, Amy Tepel (husband Boko); his step-father, Thomas Daugherty (wife Helen); his step-mother, Jeanne M. Tepel; and numerous family members and friends.
He is preceded in death by his parents: Frederick Anthony "Fritz" Tepel Jr. and Timmerman "Timmie" Daugherty; and his grandparents: Jack and Kay Daugherty.
Rick was born on April 28, 1970 in Baltimore, MD. Rick was a 1988 graduate of St. Mary's Ryken High School. He received his Bachelor's degree in American Studies from Drew University in Madison, NJ.
In the early stages of Rick's career, Tom and Katie Watts were influential in fostering his growth as a local business owner and leader in giving back to his community. Rick capitalized on his opportunity with J. Frank Raley Insurance by further developing his insurance career when the business grew and evolved into Raley, Watts & Associates (RWA), which was followed by a rebrand as Raley, Watts & O'Neill (RWO). His ambition for the growth of the company lead to the acquisition of RWO by the Hilb Group in March of 2016. At the time of his death, Rick was serving as Regional Leader of the Mid-Atlantic for The Hilb Group and CEO of RWO.
In addition to serving on several insurance company agency councils, Rick was on the Board of Directors for MedStar St. Mary's Hospital as well as the Philanthropy Committee. Additionally, he donated his time to the Board of Trustees for Historic Sotterley and the Board of Trustees for the Cremona Foundation. He also served for 10 years on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern MD and is also a former member of the Foundation Board for the College of Southern Maryland.
Rick was completely dedicated to attending every one of his kids' hockey, lacrosse or soccer games; he didn't want to miss a moment of their lives. Most recently, Rick became immersed in playing pickleball with his friends whenever he could get his "crew" on the court. He enjoyed sharing his love of growing up in Southern Maryland and all that it has to offer with his children, family, and close friends. He loved being at home playing sports with his kids, enjoying life on the water, reading and eating crabs whenever he could. Rick was passionate about live music and would travel far and wide to attend concerts of his favorite bands.
He will forever be remembered for his infectious laugh, his generosity, and his ability to be the life of any party. For all of these unique qualities, he was cherished by a far-reaching network of friends and family.
At his request, a service will not be held.
A Celebration of Rick's Life will take place on June 22 at Sotterley Plantation; the family will receive friends and community members between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to MedStar St. Mary's Hospital Philanthropy Scholarship Fund at http://www.giving.medstarhealth.org/imotepel or St. Mary's Youth Cultural Exchange c/o Cedar Point Federal Credit Union, 22745 Maple Road, Lexington Park, MD 20653.