Teresa West Stephens

Teresa Susan West Stephens, age 71, passed away January 10, 2022 in Colorado Springs, Colorado due to complications of Covid and Frontotemporal Dementia. Terri was born June 12th, 1950 in Kansas City, Kansas to Earl E. West and Margaret Warsop West Dierolf. She attended the University of Missouri where she earned her degree in Education. She married the love of her life, John Rice Stephens, on August 19th, 1972 in Kansas City, Kansas.

Terri and John raised their family in Lamoine, Maine, where she enjoyed long hikes in Acadia, directing her church choir, growing and canning vegetables, sewing, and making maple syrup. They later moved to Des Moines, Iowa in 1992, where she worked on the staff of Des Moines First Assembly for many years. She practiced holistic health, impressed friends and family with cookies and fresh baked bread, and loved vacationing in Branson, Missouri and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

After John’s death in 2008, she moved to Blue Hill, Maine where she met and married Dr. Marshall Smith. Together they traveled the world and performed with the local Ellsworth Gilbert & Sullivan Society. She was on the board of the Ellsworth Free Clinic and was a member of the Rotary Club, traveling with them to the Dominican Republic to give wheelchairs to disabled people in need. She was on the vestry of St Francis by the Sea Episcopal Church. Terri was an avid musician, playing French horn both in high school and with the Castine Town Band.

Terri is preceded in death by her husband John Stephens, father Earl West, brother Scott West and brother-in-law Ned Stephens. She is survived by her mother, Margaret Dierolf of Plano TX, brother Brad (Lisa) West of Plano TX, daughter Sydni (Andrew) Dittmer of Colorado Springs CO, son Joshua (Donat) Barrault-Stephens of NYC, grand-children Ivan & Alexandra Dittmer of Colorado Springs CO, second husband Dr. Marshall Smith of Blue Hill ME, brother-in-law Ray (Charlotte) Stephens, sisters-in-law Kathy West and Elizabeth Stephens Hill, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be planned in Maine for the summer. Donations can be made to the Ellsworth Free Clinic or to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Swan-Law.com for the Stephens family.