Terry Lynn Bronson Stinnett, 68
Terry Lynn Bronson Stinnett passed away peacefully in her Spokane home Oct. 13, 2012.
She is survived by loving husband Brent Stinnett and her children, stepchildren and grandchildren: Robert Sanderson, Heidi Connole-Dennis, Kelly Connole, Craig Stinnett, Adam Stinnett, Amy Sanderson and including Jeff Dow and Therese Sanderson. She raised then, at different times in her life, many children and stray animals; including a rescued Katrina cat, a shih tzu found in a ditch, and one very loving hound-dog. Her legacy, kindness and goodwill will be remembered by family, friends and the many others whose lives she touched.
Terry was a protector of animals and nature, finding comfort in working the earth between her fingers. She created sanctuary in the form of thriving gardens wherever she made her home. Testimony to her kindness was her joy in bringing beauty into peoples lives through her beautiful bouquets and her cherished intellect and insight. Always up for a dance, a delicious salad, or a day spent in antique stores and festivals. Her bright personality matched by her beautiful eyes and wonderful smile.
Terry, mom, will be remembered as a thinker, reader, counselor, follower of the daily crossword, spiritualist, feminist, an underdog defender, at times a wise-cracker with a sense of humor, and finally a brave and strong woman with unbelievable strength that happened to come in a petite frame. In her lifetime she moved from the small, Montanian, homesteading-town of Geraldine to Missoula, where she became a student, florist, wife and mother.
She was a writer, piano player, gardener and homemaker who created artistically inspired spaces warmed by fireplaces, comfortable beds, chocolate cakes with sprinkles, music, her beloved books, art and an abundance of beautifully maintained objects collected throughout her lifetime. She kept things together for us, found lost things for us, and held the strings of contact for a wide flung network of family and friends. Her cards with careful handwriting, Christmas cookies, phone calls and conversations over the kitchen table will be greatly missed.
It is our belief mom would have appreciated a gentle and simple spiritual gesture for her memorial and to be celebrated in a city that she loved so much. She would have enjoyed a summer night with the Montana mountains and wildflowers, in a park that brought her comfort and joy, with the sounds of classical music performing and the love and company of people around her.
Please join us for a “celebration of life” for Terry, Wednesday, July 17, 2013, at Bonner Park in Missoula. We will be gathering at the pavilion in the afternoon, 3-6 p.m., before the music performance starts.