Blue Earth – Terry entered his heavenly home on March 24, 2021 at United Hospital in Blue Earth.

A family service was held at Shepherd of the Lakes Lutheran Church in Fairmont, on Friday, April 2, at 1 p.m. The service was recorded on the Patton Funeral Home website.

A remembrance and celebration of Terry’s life will be planned later this year when it is safer to gather, embrace and share memories and stories.

Terry was born May 14, 1950 in Blue Earth, the oldest of seven children. After the death of his father, when he was 12 years old, coach Hal Schroeder became his mentor and guide, listening when he needed to talk and putting a tennis racket in his hand. From then on, he was hooked, spending countless hours on the court as a member of the winning Blue Earth tennis team.

Terry graduated in 1968, then managed the Makotah Youth Center and worked at Gering Industries before returning to college for his degree in education. He taught and coached in Estherville, Iowa for six years and then was hired at Blue Earth Area in 1990, retiring from teaching in 2012, and from coaching in 2014. Terry coached a lot of people. He cared for all of them.

He married his wife Deb in 1978. Astonishing his friends, he actually missed several Blue Earth football games during their courtship. Their children, Casey and Brian have great memories sharing popcorn in Dad’s recliner, learning to play catch in the front yard, tagging along to team practices and open gyms, weekend tournaments, spending an entire summer on the Riverside driving range, and always being able to look back for a smile or needed encouragement during golf meets.

He was intense, detailed, long on opinion, short on tactfulness, questioned everything, was regretful of his shortcomings, but always bolstered by the knowledge of full and free forgiveness in Christ and thankful for every earthly blessing God gave.

Preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, infant daughter, mother and father-in-law.

Survived by wife, Deb; daughter, Casey (Steve) Bensen; son, Brian (Dr. Elizabeth Peitzman) Bensen; grandson, Malcolm and granddaughter, Myrtice; sisters, Carmen Langlois, Cathy (Mike) Lampe and Judy Buchholz; and brother, Tom Barnes.