Teri Wise Obituary

Wise
TERI LYNN (HAYWARD) WISE
December 23, 1944 February 19, 2021
Teri Lynn (Hayward) Wise, beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, passed away February 19, 2021 following a courageous battle with cancer. Born on December 23, 1944 in Inglewood, California, she was the daughter of the late Reginald and Mary (Peggy) Hayward. Teri grew up in El Segundo, CA, where she met the love of her life and future husband, J.B. Wise. She was a proud El Segundo High School Graduate, class of 1962. Teri and J.B. had their first date attending the 8th grade dance at El Segundo Junior High and the rest, as they say, is history. Teri and J.B. married on September 7, 1963 and remained devoted to one another until his death in 2008. She and J.B. had 3 children, Rob, Wendi, and Kevin, by age 22, and in 1984 adopted Rick, then 16 years old. Of course, Teri always joked that she raised J.B. too! Teri and J.B. experienced a lifetime of adventures that almost always involved their lifelong friends Pat and Jan (Cajun and Red) Gremillion, Dennis and Marilyn (Mac and Mare) McMahon, and Carl and Carol Urman. Family was always paramount in their lives and activities whether it was motorcycle racing in the desert, camping, boating, skiing, or following each of their children's every single sporting event. Of all the places Teri visited around the world, her favorite spot was the family vacation home in the Montana mountains, sitting right on the Missouri River. It was at this home that she and J.B. celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary with the entire family, one of her fondest memories. Later in life Teri and J.B took up quad riding when they moved to Bullhead City and this quickly became one of Teri's passions! They met a wonderful group of friends that shared this love of riding and spent many weekends in the desert. Teri had her own bright yellow quad and loved nothing more than leaving J.B. in the dust! Her other guilty pleasures: Hallmark movies and hotdogs. But only if they were beef Ball Park Franks!
Teri worked as a bookkeeper first at her father's company and then at the company she and J.B. built. Wise Electric became incredibly successful and J.B. and Teri provided a bright future for many young men who came to work with them. Teri quickly became a mother to many more young electricians, known as Wise Guys, that are part of our family to this day. After decades of working side by side to fulfill their dreams, Teri and J.B. retired in 2000. Following her husband's death, Teri immersed herself in community service and family. She served on the Drug Awareness Council as Treasurer in Bullhead City, AZ for 2 years, the Colorado River Women's Council and sat on the Mohave County Board of Health. In 2009 she moved back to Colorado Springs. She joined the Women's Club of Colorado Springs in 2014 and remained active until her death. She served on the Board of Directors, Arts Department Chair and as President for 3 years. During her tenure, Teri was instrumental in initiating the Luncheon and Restore Innocence project and Stuffing the Backpack project to benefit sex trafficking victims. She also collected bras for Free the Girls. Teri was also a major contributor to Stephanie's Closet, a non-profit that provides free clothing and accessories to teen girls in need. In addition to her community involvement, Teri went to the gym 5 days a week whenever possible and attended water aerobics each week for many years. For the record, Covid stopped her from hitting the gym, not cancer! Teri made many wonderful friends in her water aerobics class. They went to lunch weekly, celebrated important milestones together and became an important part of Teri's life. She loved these women and was so grateful for the joy and laughter they brought to her world! They joined the family in a Sweet 75th Birthday Bash for Teri, a 50's sock hop! This became one of Teri's most cherished celebrations of her life!
Losing her mother at just 14 years old, Teri began what would become a lifetime of mothering as she took on the role of caretaker to her younger siblings. Upon reflecting on her life, Teri stated that God put her on earth to be a mother, and she did not disappoint him! Regardless of anything else happening around her, nothing took priority over her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. And as much as her children know we were loved, nothing brought our mom more delight than our own babies and their babies. Teri was the proud grandmother of 15, and had a special, loving bond with each and every one. In addition, she was Great Grandma to 6 with 2 more on the way. Teri helped raise one of her grandsons, Colt, from the age of 12, and for all but 6 months of the 11 years living back in Colorado Springs. She had grandchildren and often greats, living under her roof. Nothing gave her greater pleasure or purpose. She reminded all of us many times that she had lived a great life! Cancer did NOT win! Teri is survived by her children Wendi (Marty) Andres of Colville, Washington, and Kevin (Wendy) Wise of Monument, Colorado, her grandchildren Derin Reinhardt, Adam Wise, Brianne Wise-Mattaroo, Kaitlyn Heine, Amanda Davison, Colt Wise, Josh Andres, Cody Andres, Emily Andres, Zach Wise, Jacob Wise, Ryan Wise, Rachel Wise, Kirstie Wise and Chad Wise, her great-grandchildren Deagan and Maddox Reinhardt, Emery and Olivia Davison, Maximillion Heine and Rey Wise, her siblings, Dennis Hayward, Doug Hayward, Debbie Osterberg, her stepbrother Ken Comstock, her stepmother, Patricia Hayward and many more family and friends. Teri was preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, J.B. Wise, her son, Rob Wise, her parents, Reginald and Peggy Hayward, her sister, Julie Hayward, her stepsiblings, Chuck Comstock and Vicki Edison and her aunt, Buddy Bonham.
A Celebration of Life will be held for Teri on Friday, March 19, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at Woodmen Valley Chapel (Rockrimmon) in Colorado Springs. One of Teri's last wishes was the continued support of her two favorite charities. Please consider honoring her memory by contributing to one of these organizations that do so much to lift up girls and women in need-causes near and dear to Teri's heart and ones she herself worked so hard to support throughout her lifetime.
Women's Club of Colorado Springs
PO Box 7072
Colorado Springs, CO 80933
http://womansclubof
coloradospringsgfwc.
org/
Stephanie's Closet
PO Box 21
Colville, WA 99114
https://www.facebook.
com/stephaniescloset