Retired Deputy Chief John Teie passed away suddenly, early Monday, October 17, 2016, in the Ukiah Medical Center in Ukiah; he was 73 years old. His family was with him when he passed. John was born Andrew John Teie on February 2, 1943, San Mateo, California, to Stanley and Sophia (Pladson) Teie. He married Sandra Darling in 1964 and they have three wonderful children: Kristene Ann, Eric John, and Kathlene Dan’e. John and his older brother, Bill, had long careers with CDF.
John was raised in the Santa Cruz Mountains, above Los Gatos. His early education began in Summit School, a one-room eight-grades school. He graduated from Los Gatos High School in 1961. He was hired by CDF as a seasonal firefighter and worked at the Saratoga Summit Fire Station. A couple of years later he was promoted to forest fire truck driver at Pacheco Pass. John received his Bachelor of Science degree in Forest Management at Humboldt State College, graduating in 1966. He was hired by CDF as a Graduate Trainee and assigned to the Region office in Fresno. He was assigned at the Porterville Air Attack Base. He was promoted to battalion chief and assigned as an instructor to the Sierra Conservation Training Center in Susanville. He, later was transferred to the Crescent City battalion in the Humboldt-Del Norte Unit.
In 1975, John was promoted to Forester II and assigned to the Mendocino Unit. He worked the rest of his career there, retiring in 1997 as Deputy Chief, Resource Management. For a short time, he was the acting Unit Chief of the Mendocino Unit.
John was an exceptional forester, he loved working with loggers and environmentalists. At his retirement, he was given a special award by Earth First for his efforts to bridge the gap between the timber industry and environmentalists. Even though John was a forester, he never lost his passion for fighting fire. For years he was the Plans Section Chief on one of CDF’s command teams.
Every Saturday morning you would find John at every yard sale in the Ukiah Valley. He leaves behind lots of the treasures he discovered. He was a carver of wood, a talent he got from his Great Grandfather, one of the premier Norwegian wood carvers in the Northern Plains of this country. But most of all, John adored his family. He leaves his wife of 52 years, Sandy, his three children, three grandchildren, Nicholas Allen Teie, Hailey Dan’e Taylor, Hannah Lynn Talyor, and two great granddaughters: Tayla Lynn Teie, born January 27, 2013, and Olivia Dan’e Teie born September 30. 2016.
The Celebration of Life to honor Andrew John Teie is set for 1 p.m., Saturday, November 5, 2016, at the Eversole Mortuary, 141 Low Gap Road, Ukiah, CA. 95482 (707-462-2206). In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate to the CDF Benevolent Foundation, CAL FIRE Local 2881, 1731 J Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, California 95811.
The family asks that CalFire employees wear their uniforms.
The mortuary is located ½ block west of North State Street on Low Gap Road. Low Gap Road is north of the town center, and just south of the fair grounds.