Osage County, Oklahoma, Obituary:  HELEN MARGARET TERRILL

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joann Brazee
Osage County News Service (OCNS)
http://ocns.freeyellow.com/
Email: ocns@hotmail.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE:  
These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit 
or presentation by any other organization or persons.  Persons or 
organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent
of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact 
the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent.  

The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store 
the file permanently for free access.

http://www.usgwarchives.net/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

HELEN MARGARET TERRILL

OCNS - February 1, 2000 - Helen Margaret Terrill, 81, was born on 
Christmas Day 1918 to Dr. Wilbe J. and Johnnie (Graves) Gier at 
Independence, Kansas. Early on her father had been a physics, chemistry 
and woodwork teacher in LeRoy, Kansas and her mother was a professor at 
Teacher's College at Emporia, Kansas. 

She attended grade school and junior high school at Independence. The Gier 
family moved to Oklahoma City and Helen graduated from Classen in a class 
of 1000 in 1936. She attended Oklahoma University 1936-37 and Central State 
College 1938-40, graduating with a B.S. in Elementary Education. While at 
Central State she was active in several organizations and was editor of 
the school yearbook, "The Bronze Book". In 1940 she was selected as the 
outstanding student. She received her M.S. in Reading Education from 
Oklahoma State University in 1969. Further graduate work included Oklahoma 
State University, Kansas State Teacher College, Southeastern State 
University and Tonkawa Junior College Travel Studies. 

Following graduation she was hired at Carmen, Oklahoma. Her teaching 
assignment included fifth and sixth grades, art and physical education to 
the entire grade school and to coach girl's basketball. The irony of this 
was that under North Central rules, Classen High School was not allowed to 
offer girl's basketball, so Helen knew nothing about girls' basketball. 
With the assurance that the boy's basketball coach would take care of the 
girls' team, this elementary major who had done her student teaching in a 
first grade classroom, set out to conquer this feat. 

However, she did not take the job as she and Oren Terrill were married 
July 29, 1940 in Putnam City. They celebrated 59 years of marriage prior 
to his death on December 13, 1999. They have two daughters, both teachers, 
and four grandchildren. Oren retired in 1978 after 43 years of teaching 
with the last 28 years as superintendent of The Pawhuska Public Schools. 

Helen's varied teaching experiences included: Reading Specialist and 
Clinician with the Osage County Special Services, Title III Project 
1966-69, Pawhuska Public Schools including five years of a split third and 
fourth grade class at Lynn Elementary, two years as a reading specialist 
for grades one-seven, reading clinician and reading lab for grade seven, 
1973-83 (in 1975 she was a special reading consultant for the state) and 
her final year of teaching 1983-84 was as a science teacher for seventh 
graders. She was selected Osage County Teacher of the Year in 1975. 

Her memberships have included: National Education Association, Oklahoma 
Education Association, International Reading Association (served on the 
Studies and Research Committee and presented at the New Orleans and 
Anaheim IRA conventions), Oklahoma Reading Council (where she served as 
state president in 1975-76 and was a delegate four times to the IRA 
convention and was published often in the Oklahoma Reader), Northeastern 
Reading Council (charter member, first president and first delegate to 
IRA), Delta Kappa Gamma, and Osage County Retired Educators (where she has 
had several positions including a two year term as president and selected 
VIM for 1998-99). 

Over the years she served on many committees and presented several state 
and international seminars including the following: Advisory Committee 
State Right to Read, Standards for the State of Oklahoma, development of 
certification tests for reading teachers, development of the Reading 
Curriculum Guide for the State Reading Commission. 

Helen enjoyed Bible study, foreign travel, bridge and antiques. She was a 
member of the First United Methodist Church, PEO, Eastern Star and an 
investment club. 

Surviving are: two daughters and their husbands: Janet Kay and John Lee 
Main of Tulsa, Oklahoma and Jean Ann and Dan Simmons of Pawhuska, 
Oklahoma; four grandchildren, John Terrill and Lea Main, Jonelle and Brad 
Booth and Terrill Gier Simmons; a sister-in-law and her husband, Freda and 
Lyle Disch of Vera, Oklahoma; and numerous other relatives and friends. 

Services were held Monday, January 31, 2000 in The First United Methodist 
Church of Pawhuska under the direction of Johnson Funeral Directors. 

Memorial may be made to The Oren Terrill Scholarship Fund c/o The First 
National Bank, P.O. Box 809, Pawhuska, Oklahoma 74056.