Terri Smythe, 67, passed away on October 4, 2021. She was born in El Paso, Texas and raised in Lubbock, Texas where she was a twirler for Coronado High School. Terri attended UTEP on a twirling scholarship and graduated with a degree in Journalism, Public Relations, and Advertising. She then jump started her career as the Director of Keep El Paso Beautiful and later went on to serve as the Director of Keep Austin Beautiful and the Executive Director of the Texas Water Commission. After returning to El Paso, Terri proudly worked as the Program Manager for the Qualified Recycling Program at Fort Bliss and continued to sit on numerous boards in Texas rallying for the environment. These positions and boards include Communication Chair for the Texas Environmental Education Partnership; Steering Committee under State Representative Warren Chisholm/Governor Rick Perry; Keep Texas Beautiful Board Member Regional Governor; Keep Texas Beautiful Statewide Conference Chair; Keep America Beautiful National
Conference Committee; Speaker at Keep America Beautiful National Conference, Washington, D.C.; and lastly she served on the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at the Managing Roadsides Naturally National Conference. Terri was also chosen as one of El Paso's Outstanding Citizens and recently was honored with The Citizen Award from Keep America Beautiful. She was preceded in death by her parents Sherod and Suzanne Mengel and her brother John. She is survived by her daughter Meagan and son- in-law Steven Henault. Terri was known as Gigi to her six grandchildren, whom she loved with all her heart: Cadence, Tori, Ryland, Chase, Colton, and Karlee Henault. She is survived by her brother, Sherod Mengel Ill and her two sisters, Gretchen Dickey, and Lisa Bond. She will be missed by her many nieces and nephews, great nieces, and nephews as well as the immense amount people that loved her and were blessed by her kindness, generosity, and her contagious personality. Terri was truly the definition of a light in a dark world and will be greatly missed. Memorial Services will be held outdoors on Sunday, October 10, 2021, at Kings Kids of El Paso, 934 W. Sunset, at 4:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Keep Texas Beautiful.
