Terry "Katharine" "Kate" Eastvold

Terry Eastvold died on October 6, 2026, in Urbana, Illinois, at the age of 18. At their death, they were in the process of coming out as nonbinary, and their parents desire to abide by their wishes regarding their name and pronouns, while also acknowledging that many people only had the opportunity to know and love them as Kate.

Terry was born on May 24, 2008, in Springfield, Illinois. They subsequently lived in the Charleston, South Carolina, area before returning to Springfield at age three. They attended District 186 schools: Graham Elementary School, Lincoln Magnet School, and Springfield High School, from which they received a diploma in June of 2026. They began studying costume design at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in August of 2026. They were a proud resident of Allen Hall and beloved by many on campus after only a short time there.

Terry led an accomplished, creative, and caring life. They won youth awards in the Springfield Art Association's 6" x 6" competition for two consecutive years and multiple awards in vocal performance in the District 186 Solo and Ensemble Competition. They were a member of the District 186 Collage Show Choir and Seven & Senators, a by-audition choir at Springfield High. Terry appeared in many school and community theater productions, including Dr. Doolittle, Jane Eyre, The Music Man, It's a Wonderful Life, Puffs, Mean Girls, and Tuck Everlasting. An avid reader, Terry was rarely seen at home without one of their beloved fantasy novels. Terry selected (and created) gifts for family and friends with notable attentiveness and generosity and found great delight in planning holiday meals and treats. Though naturally introverted, one of Terry's core values was to ensure that all people felt welcomed and included. They made thought-provoking art, sketched portraits that let you see into the subject's soul, and sang with a voice that was pure, strong, wise, and exquisitely expressive.

Terry overcame significant physical and mental health setbacks during high school, ultimately excelling in their classes, receiving offers of admission to many colleges, and graduating from high school as an Illinois State Scholar. They were fiercely, stubbornly loyal - to friends, family, and principles. They didn't go along to get along. They could never ignore a wrong or unjust act (or an instance of poor graphic design). They loved animals, especially all cats, and were expertly patient in caring for them. Advocacy, especially self-advocacy, did not come easily to them but was a hard-won skill; in the past few years, they increasingly spoke up not only for themself but for others facing similar struggles and for causes meaningful to them.

Terry is survived by their parents, Katharine P. Roberts and Jonathan Carlson-Eastvold; their stepfather, Ken Lowe; their stepmother, Katie Carlson-Eastvold; their sisters, Aerwyna Eastvold, Kristianna Eastvold, and Juliana Eastvold; their half-brother, Everard Carlson-Eastvold; their grandparents, Liz and Pinckney Roberts, Karilyn and Paul Eastvold, Marilú Yee, and Dennis and Mary Carlson; their aunts and uncles, Jennifer and Ben Aplin, Beth Roberts, David and Rachel Eastvold, Philip and Elizabeth Eastvold, Grant and Paige Lowe, Keith and Amanda Lowe, and Beth and Andrew Cole; their cat, Lyric; other family pets; and numerous cousins, great-aunts and great-uncles, and friends. They were preceded in death by their great-grandparents and various animals who were important to them, including Napoleon, Derby, and Cecily.

A memorial service and gathering will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 4 p.m. at Butler Funeral Home, 900 South Sixth Street, in Springfield, Illinois. The memorial gathering will follow until 7:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Terry's memory to the Animal Protective League, where they volunteered with cats, to help the shelter reopen after a tornado this past summer. The APL's website is www.apl-shelter.org.

Please visit butlerfuneralhomes.com to offer your condolences.