Terrill Starks Hendershot
November 14, 1967 ~ July 4, 2009
Served by: Luce, Luze & Reck Funeral Homes
Terrill Rae (Starks) Hendershot, 41, of Crofton, Maryland, formerly of Miller, died Saturday, July 4, 2009 at her mothers home in Miller. Funeral services will be Tuesday, July 7 at 10 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Miller with Rev. Mary Ann Sheldon and Rev. Brian Jones officiating. The visitation will be Monday, July 6 from 5-7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. prayer service at the United Methodist Church. Burial will be at G.A.R. Cemetery in Miller.
The evening of November 14th, 1967 Richard Howard Starks and Margaret Mae Starks celebrated the birth of their seventh child, Terrill Rae, in the rural town of Valentine, Nebraska. Terrill Rae had been preceded by Surn Aurelius, Leonda Mae, Lafran Beth, Stavan Richia, Crain Lowell and Vonn Kirk. Before her third birthday she had become the older sister of Tammie Dee. When Terrill was five years old, her father died from a heart attack. This may have been when she learned to appreciate the present, to love life and never look back. Later the next year Margaret moved the three youngest children back to her home town of Miller, South Dakota. Terrill grew up a tomboy showing great promise in sports such as roof jumping, soda jerking, lifeguarding and basketball. She found her calling as a cheerleader, cheering on the Miller Rustlers with her signature exuberance.
Terrill graduated from Miller High School in 1986, and four years later she graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a degree in human resources. After graduation she bravely ventured out to Seattle, Washington and landed her first professional job. Carrying that Midwest warmth with her wherever she went, Terrill befriended everyone she met. She had the kind of personality that put even the shyest person at ease. She loved generously and was adored by many. Selfless to a fault, she thought of others before herself -- right up to the very end. She always had a twinkle in her eye and an infectious laugh not far behind.
In 1985 she was diagnosed with Crohns disease, an incurable and life-sapping autoimmune disease. Nevertheless, she lived her life to the fullest, with zest and a sense of adventure. She offered her advice and encouragement to help others newly diagnosed with Crohns to adapt and cope with their new limitations.
Terrill enjoyed orchestrating family events. She especially enjoyed helping to plan her Mothers 70th and 80th birthday parties. Terrill loved to travel and experience new adventures, from the glaciers of Banff and snowcaps of the Olympics to the icebergs of Newfoundland; from the bayous of Louisiana to the canyons of Kauai; from the Boundary Waters of Minnesota to the beaches of Grand Cayman; and from the volcanoes of Costa Rica to the apple orchards of the Shenandoah Valley. She was able to accomplish much of this as she was fortunate to marry a Coastie.
Terrill met Coast Guard Ensign Steve Hendershot at a Methodist Church during her first year in Seattle and was married to him in 1995. During their marriage, they served tours of duty in New Orleans, LA, Wilmington, NC, Washington, DC, Norfolk, VA, Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD. In the early years, Terrill worked as a recruiter among other things. In 2003, while living in Virginia Beach, in spite of serious complications from her Crohns disease, Terrill conceived her first and only child. On her 36th birthday, while reading a card about a talking frog, she burst into a fit of laughter and went into labor. The middle of the next day she gave birth to Holt James, alias High Noon.
Holt changed everything. Terrill withdrew from her graduate studies in social work and undertook full-time motherhood, a vocation she relished for her final six months in Virginia Beach and the next three years in Seattle. Terrills return to Seattle allowed her to reunite with or meet anew many of her dearest friends. The walks in the rain, the talks with her friends, the cool, Olympic breezes and the laughter of her delightful son made this a time of spiritual rejuvenation, with one major setback. Terrill lost her brother Crain to illness in 2005. This tragedy taught her the importance of preparing ones family for ones death. In 2007 Terrill reluctantly moved to Maryland, feeling that she lacked the energy to establish a whole new social network.
In September of 2008 Terrill was attacked by a rare and vicious cancer, which she faced with tremendous grace and courage. She spent the next nine months preparing her family and friends for the worst, while pursuing the most promising treatments available. Her family and friends surrounded her with the same kind of love she had shown all her life, proving that we truly do reap what we sow. Terrill regarded even this last and greatest hurdle to be just another part of her journey. In fact, she saw her months with cancer to be a tremendous opportunity to spend quality time with her family and say goodbye to her friends. And so she carried her cross without complaint until she laid it down in her home town, deciding to live out her last days wrapped in the arms of her loving family. On the Fourth of July, 2009 Terrill regained her independence, finally liberated from disease, suffering and the need for caregivers. She reached the end of her life completely at peace with God, herself and everyone else in her life.
All her life, Terrill participated actively in the life of her Church through youth ministry, choir, Bible study and womens circles. She devoted much of her time to building strong relationships with her family and friends. She believed strongly in the principle of abundance, that if she had anything at all, she had enough to share.
From beginning to end, Terrill retained her trademark attributes of gratitude, generosity, optimism, spunk and encouragement. This potent combination made her candle burn twice as brightly, if for only half as long; and those who knew and loved her will never be the same.
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The evening of November 14th, 1967 Richard Howard Starks and Margaret Mae Starks celebrated the birth of their seventh child, Terrill Rae, in the rural town of Valentine, Nebraska. Terrill Rae had been preceded by Surn Aurelius, Leonda Mae, Lafran Beth, Stavan Richia, Crain Lowell and Vonn Kirk. Before her third birthday she had become the older sister of Tammie Dee. When Terrill was five years old, her father died from a heart attack. This may have been when she learned to appreciate the present, to love life and never look back. Later the next year Margaret moved the three youngest children back to her home town of Miller, South Dakota. Terrill grew up a tomboy showing great promise in sports such as roof jumping, soda jerking, lifeguarding and basketball. She found her calling as a cheerleader, cheering on the Miller Rustlers with her signature exuberance.
Terrill graduated from Miller High School in 1986, and four years later she graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University with a degree in human resources. After graduation she bravely ventured out to Seattle, Washington and landed her first professional job. Carrying that Midwest warmth with her wherever she went, Terrill befriended everyone she met. She had the kind of personality that put even the shyest person at ease. She loved generously and was adored by many. Selfless to a fault, she thought of others before herself -- right up to the very end. She always had a twinkle in her eye and an infectious laugh not far behind.
In 1985 she was diagnosed with Crohns disease, an incurable and life-sapping autoimmune disease. Nevertheless, she lived her life to the fullest, with zest and a sense of adventure. She offered her advice and encouragement to help others newly diagnosed with Crohns to adapt and cope with their new limitations.
Terrill enjoyed orchestrating family events. She especially enjoyed helping to plan her Mothers 70th and 80th birthday parties. Terrill loved to travel and experience new adventures, from the glaciers of Banff and snowcaps of the Olympics to the icebergs of Newfoundland; from the bayous of Louisiana to the canyons of Kauai; from the Boundary Waters of Minnesota to the beaches of Grand Cayman; and from the volcanoes of Costa Rica to the apple orchards of the Shenandoah Valley. She was able to accomplish much of this as she was fortunate to marry a Coastie.
Terrill met Coast Guard Ensign Steve Hendershot at a Methodist Church during her first year in Seattle and was married to him in 1995. During their marriage, they served tours of duty in New Orleans, LA, Wilmington, NC, Washington, DC, Norfolk, VA, Seattle, WA and Baltimore, MD. In the early years, Terrill worked as a recruiter among other things. In 2003, while living in Virginia Beach, in spite of serious complications from her Crohns disease, Terrill conceived her first and only child. On her 36th birthday, while reading a card about a talking frog, she burst into a fit of laughter and went into labor. The middle of the next day she gave birth to Holt James, alias High Noon.
Holt changed everything. Terrill withdrew from her graduate studies in social work and undertook full-time motherhood, a vocation she relished for her final six months in Virginia Beach and the next three years in Seattle. Terrills return to Seattle allowed her to reunite with or meet anew many of her dearest friends. The walks in the rain, the talks with her friends, the cool, Olympic breezes and the laughter of her delightful son made this a time of spiritual rejuvenation, with one major setback. Terrill lost her brother Crain to illness in 2005. This tragedy taught her the importance of preparing ones family for ones death. In 2007 Terrill reluctantly moved to Maryland, feeling that she lacked the energy to establish a whole new social network.
In September of 2008 Terrill was attacked by a rare and vicious cancer, which she faced with tremendous grace and courage. She spent the next nine months preparing her family and friends for the worst, while pursuing the most promising treatments available. Her family and friends surrounded her with the same kind of love she had shown all her life, proving that we truly do reap what we sow. Terrill regarded even this last and greatest hurdle to be just another part of her journey. In fact, she saw her months with cancer to be a tremendous opportunity to spend quality time with her family and say goodbye to her friends. And so she carried her cross without complaint until she laid it down in her home town, deciding to live out her last days wrapped in the arms of her loving family. On the Fourth of July, 2009 Terrill regained her independence, finally liberated from disease, suffering and the need for caregivers. She reached the end of her life completely at peace with God, herself and everyone else in her life.
All her life, Terrill participated actively in the life of her Church through youth ministry, choir, Bible study and womens circles. She devoted much of her time to building strong relationships with her family and friends. She believed strongly in the principle of abundance, that if she had anything at all, she had enough to share.
From beginning to end, Terrill retained her trademark attributes of gratitude, generosity, optimism, spunk and encouragement. This potent combination made her candle burn twice as brightly, if for only half as long; and those who knew and loved her will never be the same.
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