OSWEGO, IL — The Oswego community, along with colleagues across the television and arts industry, is grieving the tragic loss of Tegan Hallie Zoephel, a 24-year-old producer whose creativity and compassion touched countless lives. Zoephel died on Monday, December 9, 2024, in Georgia.
Born June 14, 2000, in Aurora, Illinois, Zoephel was the daughter of Jeffrey and Kimberly Zoephel and a young woman whose talent, warmth, and drive left a lasting impact on everyone who knew her.
From childhood, Zoephel showed an unmistakable love for the arts—drawing, painting, playing piano, and embracing theater both onstage and behind the scenes. Her passion for storytelling led her to the Savannah College of Art and Design, where she earned her degree in 2021.
Her work in television quickly set her apart. Zoephel served as an associate producer and field producer for the popular TLC series 7 Little Johnstons, earning the admiration of colleagues who remembered her as hardworking, thoughtful, and deeply committed to her craft. She was also a proud member of the Producers Guild of America, a reflection of the promising career she was building.
Family remained the foundation of her life. Zoephel cherished traveling with loved ones, game nights, and quiet moments spent together. Those who knew her describe her as compassionate, creative, and endlessly supportive—someone who brought light to every space she entered.
She is survived by her parents, Jeff and Kim; sisters Brenna and Kaelin; grandparents Bruce and Doris Jesch; grandmother Edna Zoephel; several aunts, uncles, cousins; many dear friends; and her beloved dog, Scout. She was preceded in death by her grandfather Jerry Zoephel and her great-grandparents.
Visitation is scheduled for Saturday, December 14, from 10 a.m. until noon at Dunn Family Funeral Home with Crematory in Oswego, followed by a funeral service and burial at Oswego Township Cemetery.
The Standing O Theatre Company, where Zoephel once performed, issued a heartfelt tribute remembering her as a “beautiful soul and dynamic talent,” inviting the community to share memories and honor her life.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to suicide-prevention services through 988lifeline.org/donate.
Zoephel’s life, while heartbreakingly brief, was defined by creativity, kindness, and a profound love for others. Her absence leaves a deep void, and she will be long remembered by all whose lives she touched.