Theresa Terry Ann Martin-Peila Westbrook

Theresa (Terry) Ann Westbrook (maiden name: Martin; first married name: Peila) was born July 7, 1934 in Los Angeles, California. Terry passed away June 26, 2012 in La Mesa, California. (Full obitiuary and mini-bio appear below)

Join us for a very special Celebration of Life Saturday honoring Terry on July 7, 2012 at 1:00 pm at Merkley Mitchell Mortuary 3655 Fifth Ave. San Diego, California. Immediately following, join us for continued celebration and comraderie to honor Mom at Sanfilippo's Italian Restaurant, 2949 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103 - 15 min walk ( 3/4 mile ) from Merkley Mitchell.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, the family requests donation(s) to charities listed in the Special Links of the MeM (Making everlasting Memories) site.

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FULL OBITUARY AND MINI-BIO:

Theresa (Terry) Ann Martin-Westbrook (aka Peila) July 7, 1934 – June 26, 2012

Terry passed following a recent stroke on June 20, 2012. She had a smaller stroke albeit still severe on April 2011 as well.

An amazing woman, Terry attended UCLA in the 50s after graduating from Glendale High School and achieved her Administrative Credential conjunct Masters Degree with an emphasis in Primary and Gifted Education.

Active in high school, Terry was a pom-pom girl, on the flags team, and editor of the school’s newspaper, The Explosion, which won an award during her oversight.

In college, she was president of her sorority and worked part-time for additional spending money and to participate in more college activities.

She used her education throughout her lifetime and in her 27-year career at Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) where she positively influenced hundreds and thousands of young people, and started the District’s first multi-culture program for primary education.

Terry “retired” to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1991, where she began part-time work in the State of New Mexico’s Head Start program, teaching teachers so they could more positively affect their students. She also engaged in several civic groups including the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), where she advocated, demonstrated, and marched for the rights of others.

In 2004, Terry moved to San Diego where she engaged in Community and, given her love of the Arts, volunteered at the Mingei Museum. She thrived living in the city’s Hillcrest District, where she enjoyed diversity and being an active part of the community.

Daughter of James Bernard and Martha T. Martin, mother of Jeffrey M. Peila (all deceased), Terry is survived by her sister Madeline, son Chris, son-in-law Christopher, nieces Linda and Karen, nephew Greg, and a bounty of thriving great nieces and grand nephews.

Please join us in a Celebration of Life and Living to honor Terry – a truly unique humanitarian, teacher, activist, sister, mother, daughter, aunt, and friend to many…

Thank you for visiting the Merkley Mitchell and MeM sites as we share my mother's "Celebration of Life"!!

~ Chris Peila, Terry's "Wonderful Son" :-)