Terry Thompson

Terry Thompson was born on August 6, 1950, at the General Hospital in Wichita Falls, Texas. She spent the first six years of her life surrounded by the love of grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins in Wichita Falls. Her cousin and best friend, Karen Donley Knight lived just next door from Mama and Pampa’s. When Terry was six, her Dad was transferred to an Air Force base in Plattsburgh, NY. That began a lifelong journey of traveling around the country. Terry grew up in NY, MS, ND, and graduated high school in 1968 from Atwater High School in Atwater, CA.

In 1970, Terry moved back to Wichita Falls to live close to her family. As a young adult, she moved back into the loving home of her Mama, Bert Donley. Her cousin, Karen, still lived right next door and they were able to continue the lifelong friendship that had only grown stronger through the years and the miles.

In 1971, her great aunt helped her get a position at the State Hospital in Wichita Falls. She worked as a nurse’s aide and told many interesting stories of her time there. Little did she know that would change her life going forward. One night right before Christmas Ms. Moses, her charge nurse, playing matchmaker scheduled Russ to work on her ward. By Valentine’s Day, Russ and Terry had decided to announce they were getting married. Terry and Russ were married June 3, 1972 at Bible Baptist Church in Wichita Falls and celebrated their 50th anniversary earlier this year.

In 1973, after Russ joined the Air Force, a new journey began. Their first duty station was Mountain Home, ID (which had to be looked up in Mama’s encyclopedia before leaving Texas). Mountain Home was a stark difference from the plains of Texas that Russ and Terry called home, but they enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding mountains and forests. The greatest adventure was yet to come as their family of two became three when Jenny was born on June 9, 1974 at St Luke’s hospital in nearby Boise, ID - three months before she was due. Over the next nineteen years, there were numerous assignments and relocations to new Air Force installations around the country. At each duty location, Terry immersed herself in the new location and made cherished lifelong friends. Through the years, the Thompson’s moved from Mountain Home AFB to Luke AFB in Phoenix, Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, Kessler AFB in Biloxi, Tinker AFB in Midwest City, Offutt AFB in Bellevue, and lastly Russ retired at Tinker and they made their home in Edmond for the last 30 years.

Terry was heavily involved in Jenny’s active school life starting at Oregon Elementary School in Alamogordo to Bellevue West High School in Bellevue. She was also always a volunteer and activist in local, state and national political activities. In 1988, Terry and Jenny attended the Vice-Presidential debate held in Omaha between Lloyd Bentsen and Dan Quayle. This started what would be more than 30 years of political campaigning by mother and daughter. Her political advocacy spanned from 1968 when Robert Kennedy ran for President until the most recent 2022 mid-term elections. Many special friendships were realized during Barack Obama’s historic presidential campaign in 2008. Terry and Jenny attended the first Inauguration in DC in 2009 with some friends from Oklahoma, but they were stuck in the Purple Tunnel of Doom and were not on the Capitol grounds as President Obama took his oath of office. In 2012 Terry was a committee member & Jenny was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC. In 2013, Terry & Jenny traveled to DC with Candace and Carol for President Obama’s second Inauguration.

Terry was an avid music lover, which is an understatement. Neil Young was by far her favorite musician of all time, but she loved so many others. Terry and Jenny (and Russ occasionally) attended many live concerts and traveled the country to see their favorite artists. She met James Taylor and John Mellencamp and has the photo evidence to prove it - LOL. Red Rocks was one of her favorite venues where she was able to enjoy her favorite musician Neil Young. In 2012, it was Neil and Crazy Horse on her birthday and the night before, she attended Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real’s phenomenal concert in Aspen. In 2015, Promise of the Real backed-up Neil at Red Rocks and it was surreal to see the boys backing “Uncle Neil”! The Blue Door was her favorite Oklahoma City venue where many hours were spent listening to many singer songwriters who passed thru – especially John Fullbright, Kevin & Dustin Welch, Sam Baker, Michael Fracasso, and the Red Dirt Rangers. She loved all the people that Greg Johnson brought through his doors. The Old Church was a special gem due to the artists that Monica Taylor would welcome to Perkins for her Cimarron Breeze Concert series. Terry loved making goodies for the potluck and visiting with musicians and friends before and after the shows. Monica who runs the concert series became a good friend and she loved spending time with her. Dennis Whiteman who had been the Payne County Democratic Chairman when Terry was the Logan County Democratic Chairman was the one who turned her onto this special place. Sadly, Dennis passed away just a few days before Terry. WoodyFest, held in Okemah every July, was another highlight of her music escapades. She also loved the annual trips to Luck in the Spring to see Willie, Lukas, and Micah and all the fun artists that Willie would bring to his ranch. Hunting for bluebonnets in the Texas Hill Country was always on the agenda for the Luck trips. For several years, the place to be on New Year’s Eve was the Moody Theater in Austin with Jenny and her cousin Robbie ringing in the New Year! One year, Tommy Lee Jones was sitting behind her and as he got up in the dark to slip out, he touched her shoulder and motioned to be quiet. And, of course, the trips for the annual Farm Aid concerts were always a highlight! Following Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and John Fullbright on concert runs created opportunities for traveling and so many fun road trips were made to see them in person. She loved Lukas, Corey, Anthony, Tato, & John and was thrilled every time she got to see them in venues small and large. Micah Nelson was special to her too and her time capsule was on the porch when Russ & Jenny first made it back to the house after leaving the hospital on Sunday. Candace, Cynthia, Patricia, Rhonda, Linda, & Jackie ventured with the Thompson Twins on several outings and excursions to see the sights in whatever city or town the concert was held. The sightseeing was as much fun as the concerts themselves. Many concert friends from all over the country, Realers – Rusties – Gnomies, would be at various shows and visiting with them was always the best part of the adventure – she loved them all! Terry enjoyed making personalized bracelets that she gave to her friends to commemorate the various musical or political events they attended. Many of her friends have reached out to say they are still wearing them with fond memories of her and the times they enjoyed together.

Terry’s family was her rock, and she loved them fiercely. Her cousins, Larry, Karen, Becky, Richard, Oleta, Deanna, Judy, and Janet were her first best friends. She was an only-child, so her cousins were more like brothers and sisters. As her cousins married and started families of their own, she considered their kids her nieces and nephews. Becky’s Chanse & Kendra were her first cherished niece and nephew and then baby Kristy came along a couple years after Jenny was born. She loved watching them grow and start families of their own too. Her Grigsby family from Hazard, Kentucky brought her much joy. She often talked of visiting Grandma Lula’s & Grandpa Shell’s as a small child and being fascinated with the beautiful Appalachian Mountains. Her Aunts Bettie Sue and Mary Lou lived with them in Mississippi when they were young ladies, and she said the phone calls for Betty were confusing as they’d ask for Betty and she’d ask which one – Betty Sue (her Mom) – which one – Bettie Sue Grigsby (her aunt) and you’d have to ask Mrs or Miss. In recent years, she loved seeing Bettina’s animal antics on Facebook and watching her beautiful daughter growing up. Ann’s tales and pictures of her beautiful home in the mountains were stories she would share with Russ and Jenny. When Terry married Russ, she gained not just a husband, but a large family to go with it! Initially, it was just Russ’s Dad and Mom, Tommy & Evelyn and his siblings, Donna, Brenda, Jeannette, Stephen, Cindi, Richard, and John, but thru the more than 50 years, the Thompson family grew “and grew” and continues to grow to include numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews who she loved passionately. During the recent Covid years, she hated not getting to see these loved ones in-person but was always keeping up with them on Facebook. She has many pictures saved to her phone that she would show Russ and Jenny to make sure they had seen whatever latest post someone had put out. While she loved all her nieces and nephews, some were fortunate to really get to spend time with her (not just in childhood, but also in adulthood) and formed bonds that became so special. Robbie, Becky, Russell, Kayla, & Cortney developed precious bonds with Terry, and they held a special place in her heart. Robbie & Becky called her Mom, and she cherished being thought of that way.

Friends are the family that you choose and choose you. Terry surrounded herself with friends that shared her many passions and pursuits. She would take a friend from one arena of her life and join it to another – like politics and music. Someone she knew from the political world, she would turn on to her favorite musicians, singers, and songwriters. She would not want anyone to be left out, but there are those that need to be mentioned as having such a special place in her heart for sharing such fun memories (please grant us grace if someone is accidentally left off): Candace, Carol, Cynthia, Ginger, Christine, Linda Lee, Linda M, Jackie, Darren & the Cunningham Crew, Steve & Angela, Martha, Kristi, Pete & Carla, Patricia, Rhonda, Lisa, Marilu, Alice, Dot, Dee, Jodi, Janis, Cherie, Emily, Jama, Terri Kay, Kathy, Todd & Patty, Sage, Dennis, Monica & Travis, Mary Francis, Jo, Laura, Jennie Lynn, Katie, Jana, Connie, Walter & Rose Ann, Alycia & Ben, Brent, Susan, Tiffiney, Margie, Stephanie, Lory, Dwight & Jess, Miranda, Tim, Jody & Tim, Jim & Glenda, Rev Scott, Rev Young, lil Sis, Sonji, Vicki, Seth, and Mandi.

Terry passed peacefully on the morning of Sunday, December 18th, 2022. She was holding Jenny’s hand as Russ held Jenny’s shoulders. She had a heart attack on the evening of Monday, November 28th and underwent a stint procedure that night. Russ, Terry, & Jenny thought there would be more time as she was starting to recover from the stint procedure, but unexpectedly, she was taken into emergency open-heart surgery the evening of December 4th. After some progress and then ultimately setbacks that she could not overcome, she drifted into a peaceful everlasting sleep. She was not in any pain. Her music surrounded her the last few days and in that last half hour, songs by Neil & the Real, The Avett Brothers, Willie & Micah Nelson, and lastly John Fullbright were played. As “Stars” by John ended, she left us.

Terry was preceded in death by her Mom and Dad; Betty and Don Grigsby; her mother and father in law, Tommy & Evelyn Thompson; her cousins, Karen Donley Knight, Richard Donley, Janet Donley Cauthen, Maurice Lynch, Tommy Loyd; her brothers in law, Stephen & Richard Thompson. She is survived by Russ, her husband of more than 50 years, and her daughter, Jenny. She is also survived by her numerous and beloved aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, and Willie & Neil.

Russ and Jenny want to thank her Doctors and Nurses at United Regional in Wichita Falls for the exceptional care they gave her and the compassion they showed them. Doctors Palmer, Kumar, Roughneen, Anyirah, and Lawal were open, honest and her biggest champions to try and make the surgeries successful. Her many nurses, especially once she was on the 3rd floor ICU gave her (and Jenny & Russ) so much love and support: Erin, Kayla, Nathan, Adrianna, Michael, Corey, Jill, Colton, Kaylee, Amber, Kendall, “Robbie”, Jennifer, Alex, Lyndi, Mariah, Shawn, Kimberly, Brittany, and Travis. Travis stayed in the room with us and had been singing Neil Young’s “Old Man” earlier in the morning that she left – that is the way she would want it. Travis, Corey, Nathan, Kendall, Kayla, & Dr Roughneen gave us the hugs we especially needed during those final hours.

The staff at the Rathgeber Hospitality House supported Jenny & Russ through the last three weeks of Terry’s wonderful life. Their support is greatly appreciated.

A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday, January 3rd at 2:00 pm in the Chapel of Hampton Vaughan Crestview Funeral Home in Wichita Falls, Texas.

We will also have a Celebration of Life Musical Memorial at the Old Church Center – Oklahoma Territorial Plaza located at 750 N Main Street in Perkins, OK, on Saturday, January 7, 2022, at 2 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Rathegeber Hospitality House in Wichita Falls www.rathgeberhospitalityhouse.org or the Woody Guthrie Folk Festival in Okemah www.woodyfest.com/friends/donation.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hamptonvaughancrestview.com for the Thompson family.