Terry was born to her parents Andy and Doris Stymans in Petaluma. She was 77 and will be missed by so very many friends and family members. Terry, her parents, and her brother Duane, moved frequently. As a young girl, the family came to live in Westhaven where Terry attended and graduated from Arcata High.

As a youth, Terry grew up in Trinidad/Westhaven. As a young woman, she also lived for a period of time in Sacramento as well as Nevada.

Terry worked in the service industry – primarily as a waitress, in many locations throughout California. In each location she would make and foster friendships with coworkers; most of those friendships remained intact and were lifelong.

Terry married her husband Ben Smith in 1971 while she was a waitress at the restaurant where Ben would eat after a hard day’s work. Terry and Ben had one daughter, Wendy, born a year after they were married. Terry and Ben remained by each other’s side until Ben’s passing in 2012.

Terry enjoyed attending church and enjoyed also her church family at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in McKinleyville.

Life, through Terry’s eyes, was often one big social club and she belonged to many over the years. As her daughter and granddaughters grew up, anything they were involved in, she was equally involved, immersed, and interested in.

Most recently, Terry adored her times writing with and listening to friends during the Silver Quills gatherings. Within all her social club networks, her friends will likely miss her goofy party planning skills and welcoming ways.

Terry’s neighborhood in McKinleyville, where she lived for the last 45 years, was her seedbed for friendships, chats, cookies, parties, and all the other many things that defined her.

Terry’s home was known to house more than her immediate family members and various trinket collections. Over the years, nieces, nephews, friends, and extended family members often came to stay for various periods of time.

So many people have considered Terry and her husband to be strong figures of stability and love over the years, that to name a few would discount the many.

So many will miss her frequent phone calls, letters, cards, voicemail messages, chats, and welcoming open door. Others will miss her smile, wave, honk, terrible driving skills, unannounced visits, and birthday wishes. Still many more will miss her thoughtful ways, trinket collections, the simplicity of her nods and smiles and her baked treats.

If Terry’s wishes and desires are being met in her passing, we know she is at a garage sale, having her own garage sale, chatting with friends, drinking tea with her granddaughters, baking cookies, visiting neighbors, and creating a gingerbread house… All at the same time….!!!!

As many may not know, Terry wrote and wrote and wrote. Journaling and memory books were a predominant part of her world and in 2001, she wrote a list of 50 things she loved to do. Her top 10 things were: writing, drawing, walking with Ben, baking cookies, eating cookies, having people over-for dinner or not – just having them over to visit, sewing, looking nice, working with children and spending time with her granddaughters.

Please celebrate Terry’s life with us, in anyway you may deem appropriate…even if it is creating and discovering your own list of 50 things *you* love to do.

She had wished for a memorial service at the Seventh Day Adventist Church in McKinleyville, specifically in the fellowship hall. Likely because that was her thing… Fellowshipping. Friendly associations, sharing of interests, and gatherings of any kind!

Due to the pandemic the family acknowledges this cannot occur and therefore, the backyard to the home of Terry and Ben will be open on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2020 at noon until 5 p.m. for anyone that wishes to stop by. The home is located at 2070 Stevens Way in McKinleyville. At Terry’s request to her daughter and granddaughters, punch and cookies will be available. Anyone who wishes to bring extra cookies or prepare Terry’s favorites, you are challenged to do so as she considered herself to be the best cookie creator in the west!!

Terry requested specific music, the reading of specific scriptures, and the sharing of funny stories! She was also hopeful that everyone would be laughing when they leave. If you choose to attend, please be aware and familiar with the current pandemic protocols of Humboldt County.