James Robert "Touch" Teutsch

James Robert Teutsch of Beaumont went home to be with his Lord and Savior on March 10, 2025 after a long illness.

Jim was born in Taylor, Arkansas on October 21, 1931 to Hazel Britt Teutsch and James Ervy Teutsch. Jim was brought up in the oil field drilling areas in Texas as his father was employed by the Magnolia Petroleum drilling department. He attended school in Springhill, Minden, and Jennings, Louisiana as well as in Freer, Calvert, Victoria and Palacios, Texas where he finished high school. While in the boy scouts in Calvert, Jim saw the visiting Texas Aggies and heard the Texas Aggie War Hymn for the very first time. He was so taken by them he became an Aggie in 1948. Jim and the other cadets were stationed at Bryan Air Force Base while returning World War II war veterans got on the main campus.

After four great years at Texas A & M Jim was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. He served at Fort Lee and he was at Fort Sam Houston during the Korean War. As he was stationed in San Antonio, he attended First Baptist Church where they fed the visiting soldiers each Sunday. There he met his future wife, Dorothy Allen. Jim and Dot married in 1955 and they moved to Springhill, LA. Jim worked for Nation Brothers Packing Company and Dot worked for International Paper Company as a Registered Nurse. While in Springhill, Jim and Dot’s daughter Lori Renae Teutsch was born. Jim stayed busy not only working but he served as a deacon at Central Baptist Church, he founded and was president of the Toast Masters Club and he was also a Rotarian.

In 1966 Jim was offered the opportunity to work as a salesman for Sanfax Chemicals Company in Beaumont, TX. His territory covered east and southeast Texas and parts of Louisiana. Jim was a top salesman for Sanfax which later became Oxford Chemicals. He was a hard worker and he spent long hours taking care of customers and improving his sales skills. His customers became friends as they saw Jim was genuinely interested in them and that he cared about them and their families.

As a fifty plus year resident of Beaumont, Jim served as a deacon at First Baptist Church and was a very active member of the Forest Park Lions Club. Jim wondered in his later years how he was able to accomplish so much. But he believed that the Lord was in control. In fact that was his favorite maxim. Jim touched many lives over the years and his passing will leave a large void in his family.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, sister Betty Jo Teutsch Smith of Palacios, Texas and Charles Wesley Teutsch of Bay City, Texas.

Jim is survived by his wife of 65 years, Dorothy Allen Teutsch; and his daughter, Lori Teutsch.

Visitation will be at 9 am on March 14, 2025 with the funeral service following at 10 am at Claybar Kelley-Watkins Funeral Home in Beaumont, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First Baptist Church Beaumont or to a charity of your choice.