Terry L. Grosz

Terry Grosz peacefully passed away on February 5, 2019 at Life Care of Evergreen. He was preceded in death by his father, Ernie Grosz; his mother, Alberta (Dresden) Barnes; his step-father, Otis Barnes; his sister, Nancy (Grosz) Barbea; and his adult son, Christopher Grosz.

Terry was born in Toppenish, Washington on June 22, 1941, but moved early in his childhood to the little California Sierra Mountain community of Qunicy with his mother and younger sister. It was in Qunicy that Terry gained his respect and appreciation for the outdoors. He relished being in the outdoors, the change of the seasons, hunting, fishing, and often times providing needed meat for the table. Until his step-father entered into their lives, Terry, his mother, and sister lived in poverty. From the age of nine, he spent his summers and weekends looking for jobs to help earn money to give to his mother to help her pay their bills.

It was in eighth grade that Terry met Donna who was to become the co-author of his life little more than eight years later when he took Donna’s hand on February 3, 1963.

In high school, Terry played football, baseball, and track at a very high level. Additionally, he played the trombone in the dance band and was the student body president his senior year. Further, Terry worked in the logging and lumber industries and fought wildland forest fires in Plumas and Sierra counties during summers to earn money for his college tuition and expenses.

Terry graduated from Quincy High School in 1959 and attended Humboldt State University where he earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Wildlife Management in 1964 and his Master of Science Degree in 1966. He was a California Fish and Game (now Fish and Wildlife) Game Warden from 1966 until 1970, based first in Eureka and then in Colusa, California.

He was hired by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Sports Fisheries and Wildlife in 1970, first serving as a U.S. Game Management Agent and later as a Special Agent in the Bay area and then in Colusa County until 1974. Terry was promoted to a Senior Resident Agent who was responsible for the supervision of special agents and field enforcement of federal wildlife laws in North and South Dakota.

In 1976, Terry was promoted to a Senior Special agent position and was transferred to Washington D.C., where he served as the Endangered Species Desk Officer and Foreign Liaison Officer until 1979. He represented the U.S. Government in travels to Great Britain and Southeast Asia.

In 1979, he was promoted and transferred to Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he served as an Assistant Special Agent in Charge.

In 1981, Terry was promoted and transferred to Denver, Colorado, as the Special Agent in Charge of Region 6 which was a resource-rich, eight-state region encompassing more than 750,000 square miles encompassing North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana. He remained in this position until his retirement in 1998 after a 32-year career in state and federal wildlife law enforcement.

In 1999, Terry began his second career as a writer with the publishing of his first wildlife law enforcement true-life adventure book, titled "Wildlife Wars". Since then 13 additional wildlife law enforcement adventure books have been published. In addition to his recently released book titled, “Buck Snort” Toni and “Wind Horse”, Mountain Men, Terry wrote eleven Mountain Man and Western historical novels. He had a two-hour movie film credit on the reality-based TV series of Animal Planet titled, “Wildlife Wars”, filmed in 2003 and released nationwide, based on a number of his true-life wildlife law enforcement adventures involving his very active career as a state and federal wildlife officer.

Terry earned many awards and honors during his lengthy career which included, but were not limited to:

- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Meritorious Service Award in 1996;

- The first federal employee to be honored with the “Guy Bradley Award” which was presented by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in 1989 for excellence in the field of wildlife law enforcement;

- The Humboldt State University Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1995; and

- An Honorary Doctorate Degree in Environmental Stewardship from Unity College in Maine in 2002.

Terry is survived by his wife, Donna, to whom he was married for more than 56 years. His North Dakota family is his elder son Rich (Bismarck), granddaughter Amanda (Grosz) Vetter, great-grandson, James Vetter (Dickinson) and granddaughter Katelyn Grosz (Bismarck). His Colorado family includes his daughter-in-law Lisa Grosz and granddaughter Laurel and grandson Gabriel, all of Centennial. His Arizona family includes daughter Kimberlee Jackson and granddaughter Bria and grandsons Bryce and Bryant of Chandler.

We, his family, fondly remember his love of hunting and fishing, barbecuing, being creative in the kitchen, storytelling, his knowledge of the “critters”, his patriotism, love of history, his sense of humor, and deep faith in God.

In lieu of flowers or plants, Terry asked that memorials be made to St. Jude’s Children Hospital.

We wish to extend our gratitude to the staff of Life Care of Colorado of Evergreen and Mount Evans Hospice for their care and love to Terry in the last days of his life and to our friends who have supported Terry and us every mile of this long journey to eternity.

Farewell for now, dearest husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. How well you have loved us all!

Rejoice In Paradise!

A Celebration of Terry's Life will be held on Friday, February 22, 2019 at 10:00 am at Our Lady of the Pines Catholic Church, 9444 Eagle Cliff Rd, Conifer, Colorado 80433. A private family committal service will occur at Olinger Mount Lindo Cemetery, Morrison, Colorado.