Terry L. Walsh

Terry was born in 1936 to Salome Pettys Walsh and Myles Walsh, the fourth of five children. He would often recount stories of his childhood to his children from raising chickens with Limpy being his pet chicken, stories of his dog Boots going to school with him and accepted as the class mascot and adventures he had with his brothers.



He attended Central Park grade school and with his siblings. He was proud to tell his kids and grandchildren about various jobs he held while in school and that he skipped a grade making him one of the shorter and younger kids in his class. Terry graduated from North High School and was part of the state wrestling team.



After graduating high school and attending college, he worked for the Core of Engineers and then Northern Natural Gas (NNG) where he had an accomplished career for 30 years, as Manager of Gas Control and at one point held the position of Vice President. Terry was passionate about his work, throughout his career he sparked meaningful communication between field workers and engineers, innovated with the acquisition and merger with other gas companies, advocated for woman and racial advancement and held himself and those around him to the highest ethical standards.



He met the love of his life at work and their marriage was blessed with a child, growing his family from four to five children. He celebrated 44 years of marriage with his wife, Chris. They shared hobbies and passions including his favorites hiking, backpacking, and skiing. He enjoyed skiing in the Rocky Mountains, backpacking in the national parks, hang gliding off the bluffs of Iowa, discovering the world and various cultures spanning Africa, Asia, Middle East, Europe, South America and exploring every state in the United States except North Dakota. He has inspired travel and discovery in his family. We are proud to follow historical mile markers on the highway to see where it will lead us and honor his inquisitive spirit.



He was a problem solver in the workplace and at home, often taking on complex tasks, but always making it look easy. He could build anything you could imagine from decks to play (dream) houses, barns, tree houses, and a kitchen set that has weathered three generations of play. Terry was the original MacGyver and could fix anything and bring it new life. He loved tinkering in his garage, refinishing old wood working tools and chests. He loved to tell stories and jokes and had an uncanny ability to recall them with great detail no matter if the memories were from his childhood or two years ago. When Terry took a moment to relax, he read anything and everything from the Wall Street Journal to historical novels to natural history. He approached everything in life with an innate curiosity. He was always thinking deeply to find the meaning, the history, and the facts. He was a man of strong faith, he loved God and he tried to live in a way to honor and please the Lord. Even when battling health problems over the last six years, he was a pillar of strength, humor, and bravery.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Salome (Sally) Pettys Sydow and Myles Walsh, stepfather Ed Sydow, sisters Connie Jo Landolt and Mary Karen Walsh Duarte, brother James Walsh, son Tim Walsh, and grandson Aric Walsh. He is survived by wife, Christine Holubar-Walsh, sons Rich (Sandy) Walsh and Tom (Cindy) Walsh, daughters Kayla (Steve) Laune and Kristy (Johnny) Zirngible, daughter-in-law Jen Walsh, brother Pat Walsh, 12 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.