Teresa Stelting

Teresa Mary Davies Stelting passed away Dec. 15, 2012.

She was born to William and Annie Bedelia Davies on Dec. 22, 1923, in Frinton on Sea, County Essex, England.

Teresa, the youngest of seven children, attended private schools and worked in a local dry goods store before the onset of WWII. She helped her mother care for evacuated children and served in the Red Cross prior to enlisting in the WAAF at age seventeen. She met her future husband, Herb Stelting (American Army Air Corps), when they were both stationed at the same radar facility. They were married in England. She was one of thousands of war brides traveling to the US on the Queen Mary.

They settled for a short while in northeast Oregon and then moved to southeast Alaska with their first daughter. They homesteaded near Haines and welcomed three more daughters into their family. In 1963, they moved to Patagonia, Ariz., for a few years and then southwest Oregon. From there they went to southwest Idaho, and finally to northeast Oregon, living in Halfway for many years.

Through the years, Teresa was involved in local PTAs, a 4-H leader, Lynn Canal Players, various local community groups and events and veteran's advocacy.

Besides raising and educating her children, she also worked with her husband as a commercial gill-netter in Alaska.

In Arizona, she was employed by 'Museum of the Horse' and drove school bus. Later jobs included picking pears and green beans and working for Montgomery Ward in Oregon, working for the City of Grand View, Idaho, becoming the postmaster there.

Upon her retirement to Halfway, Ore., she embarked on perhaps her most favorite job, local Justice of the Peace. She was equally proud of having been a judge and a veteran.

One of Teresa's most favorite memories besides her children and family was becoming an American citizen in May of 1957.

She was known for loving the color blue, and the saying "This too shall pass."

She loved gardening, knitting, crocheting and her family.

A favorite poem was John Masefield's "Sea Fever" and the many volumes written by her husband, Herb.

She is survived by four daughters; Denise (John) Fields, Linda (Rhett) Nelsen, Nancy (Lynn) Fincher and Ruth (Jerry) Rubelt, 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, her brother, Jim Davies, and many nieces and nephews around the world.

She was preceded in death by an infant son, Richard, her husband of 49 years, Herbert Willard Stelting, and eldest grandson Ted Fields.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to your local veteran's organization.