Frank Terrill Obituary

Former Southwest Colorado resident Frank Garland Terrill died from complications of a fall Thursday, July 12, 2012, in Dillon, Mont. He was three weeks shy of his 86th birthday.

Mr. Terrill was born to Charlie and Mabel Pearl Holybee Terrill on Aug. 6, 1926, in Dolores. He grew up on the family homestead with five siblings and a cousin in Disappointment Valley in rural Dolores County.

Mr. Terrill attended Upper Lavender School, a one-room schoolhouse, during his primary and junior high school years and, while "boarding out," finished his freshman year of high school in Cortez.

"Although his formal education ended at that point, he was a voracious and varied reader throughout his life and had beautiful penmanship," his family said. "His ability to read in order to research mechanical and building problems was remarkable. He took care to speak properly, although he did inherit his father's propensity for colorful cursing."

On Dec. 30, 1943, his mother signed the enlistment papers so he could join the Marine Corps (Reserved). An automatic rifleman and guard, he was assigned to Company H, 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment, 5th Marine Division. He received the Purple Heart after being wounded in the Battle of Iwo Jima. After the war ended, he was stationed in Japan for the occupation.

Mr. Terrill was honorably discharged in April 1946. He suffered a lifetime of ailments related to his service.

On Dec. 14, 1946, he married Sarah Alice Spence in Aztec. The marriage later ended in divorce.

Mr. Terrill worked as a carpenter, maintenance foreman for the Dolores County Road Department and for his father's business of guided hunts from Buckhorn Lodge in Disappointment Valley.

He served on the Dolores County School Board and awarded diplomas to both of his daughters at their high school graduations.

Upon his move to Montana in 1969, he was a building contractor in partnership with his son Guy Terrill and a security guard at the Golden Sunlight Mine.

On May 30, 1981, he married Elsie Mack in Pony, Mont. They had been estranged for many years.

Mr. Terrill is survived by his children Susan Terrill-Flint of Bayfield, Garland Gay Hampton of Longmont, Guy Terrill of Dillon and Brent Terrill of Vacaville, Calif; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Cremation will occur. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 28, 2012, at Brundage Funeral Home, 300 S. Atlantic in Dillon. Burial will take place afterward at Mountain View Cemetery. A reception will be held at the Dillon Elks Lodge.

Online condolences may be sent at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.