Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

April 3, 2019

Dr. “Teg” Teigland of Miami, Florida, died peacefully at the age of 95 on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, at the Southminster retirement home in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Dr. Teigland was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 63 years, Verna "Bunny" Brannon Teigland, in 2010.

An accomplished veterinarian and loving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, Teg was born October 1, 1923, to Norwegian parents, Soren and Bertha Teigland, and raised in the small immigrant farming town of Randall, Iowa. He was the youngest of four siblings, Dorothy, Richard, and Joel.

After graduating high school in his hometown, Teg attended Iowa State University as a ROTC student during WWII. He graduated from Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine in 1945 and moved to Miami, Florida, to pursue his passion for equine veterinary medicine. Soon thereafter, Teg met and married his wife Bunny in 1946.

In 1950, Dr. Teigland was recalled to the Air Force as a Captain to oversee the health of the first American primates to be launched successfully into space from Holloman Air Force Base in Alamogordo, New Mexico. After his military commitment was fulfilled in 1953, Teg returned to Miami to resume equine practice and care for the racehorses of South Florida.  That equine practice, which he built with his partners, Dr. Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Tom Brokken, is now known as TFB Equine, and is one of the largest equine veterinary practices in the country.

Professionally, Dr. Teigland made major contributions to the understanding of a number of equine infectious diseases and to improvements in equine orthopedic surgery. He was one of the earliest members of the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) in the 1950s and served as its president in 1961.  

Dr. Teigland was honored by the AAEP with its Distinguished Life Member Award in 1984.  His alma mater, Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine, awarded him with the Stange Award in 1985. The AAEP recognized Dr. Teigland again in 2001 by naming him its Distinguished Educator.

Throughout his career, Dr. Teigland was called upon to represent his profession to the public, testifying before the US Congress and commenting from the press booth at Triple Crown races.

Teg is survived by his children, Dr. Chris Teigland of Charlotte, North Carolina, Phil Teigland of Leesburg, Virginia, Annette Reilly of Fort Lauderdale, Florida; his daughter-in-law, Dr. Lillian Teigland, and his son-in-law, Dr. Michael Reilly; his grandchildren, Peter Teigland and his wife, Kathleen Gallagher, Dr. Claire Stokes and her husband, Dr. William Stokes, Anne Reilly Flanigan and her husband, James Flanigan; great-grandchildren Martin Teigland and Robert Stokes.

Teg deeply loved his three children and always encouraged them to pursue their own interests and passions. He was a tireless outdoor sportsman, who most enjoyed fishing and bird hunting with his children and grandchildren. He taught each of them his great respect and appreciation for all of God’s creatures.

A private family service will be held at the Arlington National Cemetery, where Teg and Bunny are to be interred together.

In lieu of flowers, Teg would want you to do something generous for someone less fortunate than yourself or make a donation to a local animal rescue shelter. 

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences can be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.