She was born Terri Sue Lawrence on January 27, 1954 in Harlingen to George and Nancy Lawrence. She attended Donna schools and graduated from Donna High School where she was active in band. She earned a teaching and kindergarten certification at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, a masters in counseling from Pan American University and a masters in library science from the University of Texas at Austin. She married James “Jim” Dean Crum on August 5, 1978 in Temple.
Terri taught in Donna, Weslaco, Jarrell and Killeen before finding her niche at Holland ISD, where she spent the next 40 years raising her family, inspiring youth by teaching and as the librarian. Terri’s other duties included bus driving, coaching calculator and number sense, cheerleader sponsor, working the gate at volleyball and basketball games, taking tons of photographs at sporting events and school functions and all things Holland Hornets, including driving buses to One Act Play Contests and supporting the band and scholarship fund.
Terri was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Bartlett, where she served on the church council. She taught Sunday School and was active with the youth, and transporting youth to and from confirmation camp when her daughters and grandchildren were younger.
During all this, Terri was a three time cancer survivor with an infectious laugh and love of life. She was an avid supporter of Autism Awareness and other special needs. She loved sharing children’s literature and donated many books to the Holland ISD Library, which she decorated festively for each season.
Terri served several terms on the Holland City Council.
Terri loved spending time with family and friends, especially playing dominoes on Saturday nights; eating Mexican food, and drinking sweet tea, Bloody Marys, and margaritas. She dearly loved her grandchildren.
Terri was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Nancy Lee Mellick.
She is survived by her husband Jim; two daughters, Jennifer Denise Hill and husband Anthony of Harker Heights and Toni Leigh Bradford and husband J. T. of San Antonio; and five grandchildren, Christopher Crum of Holland, Zoe Farmer and Shawn Farmer of Harker Heights, Ainsleigh Bradford and Kash Bradford of San Antonio; and four bonus grandkids that called her “Nannie Terri”. She is also survived by her brother Michael Lawrence and wife Margi of Alexandria, Virginia, brother-in-law Jerry Mellick; father-in-law, Ralph Crum, nieces Melissa Alex-ander and Keesha Hedges, and nephews, Geoffrey Lawrence, Kam Lawrence, Scott Mellick and Chad Mellick, plus numerous grandnieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Friday March 5, 2021 from 6pm-8pm at St. John's Lutheran Church of Bartlett. Funeral services will be held on Saturday March 6, 2021 at 10 am at St. John's Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at St. John's Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Geoffrey Lawrence, Chris Bielss, Heath Crum, Eric Bauer, Marshall Miles and Shane Downing. Honorary pallbearers are her grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to St. John Lutheran Church, Holland Volunteer Fire Department, Autism Awareness or Holland ISD scholarship fund.
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