Charles Emery Teeple

Charles Emery Teeple, 97, of Jeffersonville, a retired corporate executive and former journalist, died Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

Teeple retired in 1992 as vice-president for investor relations of Humana Inc., a company he joined in 1969 when it was Extendicare, Inc. After Extendicare sold all its nursing centers in 1972, he suggested the need for a more appropriate corporate name and headed the committee that came up with the Humana name.

He was a member of the board of trustees of the Indiana chapter of The Nature Conservancy for 10 years and remained active thereafter as a life trustee. He donated to The Nature Conservancy the 82-acre nature preserve known as Teeple Glade in Harrison County, Indiana. Teeple also was president of the United Fund of Clark County (Ind.) in 1966, several years before its merger with Metro United Way. He was president of the former Council for Retarded Children of Clark County, for which he was game chairman of its Clark-Floyd high school all-star basketball game for five years in the 1960s.

Teeple was born August 2, 1928, in Wichita, Kans., the son of Frank Emery Teeple and Edith Dahlin Teeple. He grew up in Nutley, N.J., graduated from Nutley High School, and studied journalism at Indiana University, where he was editor-in-chief of The Indiana Daily Student and its Indiana State Fair edition. He won the Ernie Pyle scholarship at I.U., where he would later graduate in 1950 and decided to remain in the Hoosier state.

His newspaper career took him to The Elkhart Truth and The Indianapolis Times before he joined The Louisville Times in 1955 as Indiana sports editor and subsequently business editor. His business writing won two awards from the National Headliners Club. His early career included two years of Army service, ending as a first lieutenant.

At retirement, Charlie decided that his hobby was going to be following the highly successful Indiana University men's soccer team. He attended 89 consecutive games at home and away, becoming known to coaches, players, and parents, before the streak was interrupted by his first wife's fatal illness. His interest in I.U. soccer continued and he attended six of the team's eight national championships. He was a fan of other I.U. sports, too, having season tickets for five sports and having a second residence in Bloomington to facilitate his hobby. He was a major donor for the 2019 renovations of Armstrong (soccer) Stadium and provided scholarships for soccer and for journalism. He was a member of First Unitarian Church of Louisville.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 48 years, Barbara Ford Teeple; a brother, Richard Edward Teeple, killed in action in World War II; a son, Richard Edward Teeple; and a daughter, Carol Belinda Teeple.

He is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Nancy Williams Owens Teeple; a son, William Ralph Teeple; two step-sons, Rodney Owens (Pamula) and Greg Owens; a step-grandson, Matthew Owens (Brittany); and three great-grandchildren. Charlie always felt blessed by having two great marriages.

Visitation will be held 3-7 p.m. Thursday, September 18, 2025, at Scott Funeral Home, 2515 Veterans Parkway – Jeffersonville. Funeral services in his honor will be celebrated 12 p.m. Friday, September 19, 2025, at the funeral home, with burial to follow at Walnut Ridge Cemetery.

Memorial gifts may be made to The Nature Conservancy, Indianapolis, IN; the I.U. Foundation in Bloomington, IN; or charity of the donor's choice.