Terri L. Yensz

Today, we gather to remember and honor Terri, my beloved wife, my best friend, and my everything. It feels impossible to stand here without her, as she has been by my side for the past 34 and a half years – half of my life.

I met Terri through a dating service. We had coffee at the Ground Rounder, and I'll never forget that first meeting. She thought I didn't talk enough. Little did she know that this quiet guy would spend over three decades sharing a life full of love, laughter, and adventure with her.

Terri was born on August 18, 1955, in Traverse City, Michigan. She was a Coast Guard wife, a role she embraced with grace and strength. Which means I dragged her around with me from her roots in Northern Michigan to Boston, New Orleans, Hawaii, and finally New Hampshire. There are a lot of trees in our yard in Milford, because she finally said to me “I just want to buy a house and plant a tree and watch it grow”. And like everything she did in life she did it with gusto. But more than any title, Terri was loving, generous, and social. She had this incredible ability to connect with people and make everyone feel welcome and valued.

What brought Terri the most joy was being Grandma. Her grandchildren were the light of her life, and she cherished every moment with them. She also loved photography, capturing the beauty of life through her lens and preserving memories for all of us to treasure.

Terri had a spontaneous spirit that made life with her an adventure. We traveled to places many only dream of – a safari in Africa, a trip to Northern Canada to see polar bears in the wild, and journeys to Brazil. Let’s talk for a moment about how we ended visiting Brazil. Back in high school Terri went to a dance with students from the high school in the neighboring town. This exchange student from Brazil thought she was cute and traded numbers with someone so he could be matched up with Terri. The story as told to me anyways, is they went to the beach the next day with some other young people, and he kissed her 100 times on the cheek. He then went to her house and asked her Father if he could marry her and take her back to Brazil. I knew her late Father and he could be intimidating would be an understatement. So, he basically told the young man in very strong language that was not happening. Flash forwards many years, Terri ends up married to this fool and the young man from Brazil is now a famous lawyer. Every once in awhile she would get a post card or greeting card from her friend in Brazil, who I would refer to as her Latin Lover! Well about 10 years ago we received an email from the daughter of the Brazilian Famous Lawyer, saying her parents were going to be in New York City and they would love to meet us there. So we go to New York, it is St Patrick’s Day….We finally locate the friends from Brazil. Terri’s friend Leoberto (Leo) and his wife Simone are the friendliest people. Just one issue Simone does not speak English and my Portuguese is even worse. But we had a wonderful lunch and at the end of the lunch Leo writes something on a napkin and asks me to sign. I do what I am told sometimes. What he had written was in Portuguese, so I had no idea what I was signing. He then reads it in English, and it says how wonderful it was too see us and they look forward to us visiting them in Brazil next year. So, we go home, and Terri says we are going right! I say, what, I don’t know anything about Brazil. Her response is Leo is a lawyer and I signed a contract. Plus, it will be the only chance she will ever get to visit Brazil. Long story short, we ended up visiting Brazil not once but twice. Leo and Simone are the most generous people you would ever want to meet they took us all over the amazing country of Brazil at their expense. We visited the Iguzu Waterfalls, their home in Florianoplis, which is like the Miami Beach of Brazil, Rio De Janiero, and I could go on. And I made incredible friends, all because of Terri and her Latin Lover. These weren't just trips; they were experiences that showed me it's OK to do wild and crazy things. But there were things she did that I was to chicken to attempt, like bungee jump off the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas or go on the tourist helicopter in Hawaii with no doors on it. By all that Terri taught me to embrace life fully, to take chances, and to find joy in the unexpected.

Even this past year, when illness challenged her, Terri remained positive. She always said she was going to get better, facing each day with hope and determination. Her strength and optimism in those difficult times were a testament to the remarkable woman she was.

Terri's legacy is one of love and family. She leaves behind five children and seven grandchildren who will carry her spirit forward. There was no title she wore more proudly than Grandma! I failed to mention, when we got married, we had both been married before. She had three sons and I had two daughters, a backwards Brady Bunch. We ended up eventually with 5 teenagers living under one roof. How any of us are still sane is a miracle and the credit for that goes to Terri. Her children and grandchildren are living proof of the love she gave so freely and the values she instilled in all of us.

To me, Terri was everything. She was my best friend, my partner, and my travel companion for half of my life. She was my Cute Little Budda Wife. I'll be 70 years old next week, and I can't imagine navigating this next chapter without her. I am going to miss her more than words can possibly express.

Terri had this way of saying "Really!" that captured her personality perfectly – that mix of surprise, delight, and engagement with the world around her.

As we say goodbye to Terri today, let's remember her not just with sadness, but with gratitude for the love she shared and the joy she brought into our lives. Let's honor her memory by embracing her spontaneous spirit, by loving our families fiercely, and by saying yes to life's adventures, no matter how wild or crazy they might seem.

Terri, my love, you have left an indelible mark on all of our hearts. Your grandchildren will grow up hearing stories of your adventures and your love. Your legacy of generosity and warmth will live on through your children and grandchildren. And I will carry you with me always – in every sunrise, in every photograph, in every spontaneous moment that reminds me to truly live.

Rest in peace, my Cute Little Budda Wife. You were my everything, and I will miss you every day. Until we meet again.

SERVICES: Calling hours will be held on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at 11:00 AM in the Messiah Lutheran Church, 303 State Route 101, Amherst, NH. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery, privately, for her family.