Teresa Leann Huston
January 30, 1945 - January 22, 2025
Terry Huston died Wednesday, January 22 peacefully in her home. Viewing will be 1-8 PM Saturday, January 25, 2025 and 1-5pm, with family present 3-5pm Sunday, January 26, 2025 Services are scheduled for 1:00PM Monday, January 27, 2025 at Grace Episcopal Church with the Rev. Steven Mallory, deacon, as celebrant. Those unable to attend the Funeral Ceremony, may attend virtually on the Trout Funeral Home website, www.troutfuneralhome.com and click on the live-stream or toolbar icon on the top right corner after 12:45 PM. Burial will follow at Resthaven Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Trout Funeral Home.
Teresa Leann Shelley was born January 30, 1945, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The daughter of Ralph Rhoton and Rosalba Hawkins Shelley, she lived for a short time in Knoxville, TN before moving to Hendersonville, NC in 1948. She attended elementary school there and was active in Girl Scouts. The family moved briefly to Sacramento, CA in 1955 and then to Greenville, SC in 1956.
While in Greenville, Terry was active in church groups, church choir, and the Girl Scouts. She attended Wade Hampton High School, which was the largest high school in South Carolina. She lost both of her parents to cancer while in high school, but she still graduated as valedictorian.
Terry attended college at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, and she earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics in 1966. While at Emory, she served as editor of the yearbook and as vice president of Chi Omega sorority. She excelled in academics and was inducted into the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa society for exceptional academic achievement.
After graduation, she became an elementary school teacher in Virginia Beach, VA for a year before taking an appointment as a teacher for the Department of Defense Dependents School (DODDS) in Augsburg, Germany. After three years in Germany, she accepted a transfer to teach at a dependents school in Misawa, Japan.
One of the perks of being a DODDS teacher was access to the officer’s bar on base, which was staffed by a handsome bartender named Steve Huston. Petty Officer Stephen W., Huston, a Cryptologic Technician for the United States Navy by day, worked at the bar on the evenings and weekends. On July 5, 1974, Steve and Terry were married in a civil ceremony at the Akasaka Ward Office in Tokyo, Japan. A church ceremony was held on August 17, 1974, at the base chapel there.
Steve and Terry moved to Ponca City in the summer of 1975. Terry taught at Liberty Elementary while Steve pursued his education at Central State University, Department of Funeral Service. They purchased Trout Funeral Home in January of 1977. Their twin sons, Chip and B.J., were born the same year. The couple purchased Resthaven and Sunset Memorial Park Cemeteries in 1995, and they were instrumental in bringing The Wall That Heals (traveling Vietnam Wall Memorial) to Ponca City in 1997. Steve and Terry sold Trout Funeral Home and their cemeteries in 2002.
Following Steve’s death in 2005, Terry spent time with her friends in the community. Whether as part of the “Read Between the Wines” book club, on a river cruise down the Yangtze in China, or on an adventure to Bahamas or Hawaii with the “cruise crew” - she stayed active and engaged, even through her diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease in 2015.
Terry loved animals, and there was a parade of dogs and cats in her home over the years: Justin, Chisai, Sumo, Dachi, Beau, Arrow, Digby, Bob, Tigger, Logan, and Piper. Over the last few years, even as she was unable to care for a pet in her home, she kept the neighborhood feral cats, Patches and Morticia, well fed.
Steve and Terry took a fateful trip to the Walnut Valley Music Festival in Winfield, Kansas in the fall of 1989 that turned into over three decades of friendship and music. As part of “Carp Camp,” characterized by wild outfits, tie-dyed everything, and of course amazing musical talent, they made the annual pilgrimage in their RV each fall.
Terry’s wit was on display for many years as a writer for the “Taste and Tasteless” performance at the Poncan Theatre. She was also known for picking out the most comedic “Nearly News” police notes to include in her annual Christmas letter. She gave back to the community in many ways, including through volunteering for Project Hometown Spirit / Project Pioneer Spirit to send care packages to our deployed troops during Operation Enduring Freedom.
She loved spending time with her granddaughters and hosting “Camp YaYa.” These special weekends included scavenger hunts, baking, trading buttons in the button box, and playing dress up.
Terry is survived by her son Paul “Chip” Huston, his wife Jenni, and three granddaughters Harlowe, Catherine, and Lucy of Tulsa, Oklahoma; her son Benjamin “B.J.” Huston, his wife Michelle, and granddaughter Darcy of Ellicott City, Maryland; and her brother Michael Shelley and wife Lou of Brevard, NC; plus multiple nieces, nephews, cousins and found family.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Terry’s name to the Northern Oklahoma Humane Society or The Opportunity Center Foundation of Ponca City.
Condolences may be made online at www.troutfuneralhome.com
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