Teruyo Colver Parrott

Teruyo was born the eldest daughter of Saburo and Sakae Ogawa, two educators from Mishima, Japan. She recalled their small house as being full of books & paintings. She wrote fondly of a special Sunday when Saburo took Teruyo on the back of bicycle and they went to different museums. He was the youngest High School principal in the Mishima area and he spoke out against sending his high school students to the war, an act for which he was put in jail for two days. Though he survived World War 2, he died at the age of 42, due to the shortages of food and medicines. His widow Sakae had to go back to teaching to raise two daughters by herself. Teruyo was able to graduate from the Japan Interpreter Institute in Tokyo and worked for Cinerama Movies. Her first husband, Arthur Colver was a PGA member and golf club manufacturer. He brought her home to San Antonio, where she became an official guide at the 1968 HemisFair World Fair. She later attended San Antonio College and Baptist Registered Nursing school, receiving her cap in 1990. Following Arthur’s passing that year, she worked as a translator for the owner of Club Sonterra and Hayakawa Sanku of Tokyo.

When Teruyo’s mother retired from teaching, Teruyo and Art decided to send for her to live with them. Sakae (or ‘Oka-san’ as they both called her) roamed the Shearer Hills area with her bicycle, and one day came across the Shearer Hills Baptist Church where she was enticed by the sign, "Everyone is welcome". She signed up for a Bible study group and Sunday School and began to worship there every Sunday. A year later, she accepted Jesus into her heart, and was baptized. She told Teruyo how happy she was. She even started taking the bus to go to First Baptist Church where she helped with the 4th Street Inn to serve free meals to the poor every Friday. This was inspirational to Teruyo, who decided, "I want to be like her." Teruyo also joined Shearer Hills Baptist Church and attended Sunday School, and was eventually baptized herself.

She later met and married Grover W. Parrott, a pharmacist in the area. Teruyo, Grover and Sakae lived together for many years. They enjoyed traveling, playing golf, reading Kindle books, found a new church called Community Bible Church and met many life-long friends there. Teruyo always had a love for dogs, especially Scotties and Westies.

Teruyo is survived by her sister, Noriko and her brother-in-law Kash, their two daughters, Lisa and Ann (Keith). She has a great nephew, Oliver and great niece, Abigail. All of her family live in Canada. Oliver and Abigail enjoyed having visits from their Great Aunt Teri in Canada and visiting her in warm San Antonio.

Teruyo is missed by her beloved Westie, Bruno who will be moving to Canada and will enjoy walking around Lake Ontario and visiting the dog park. Enjoy your new adventure, Bruno!