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Theresa “Terry” Mae (Griffin) Hegge, 89, of Sioux City, IA, formerly of Platte, SD peacefully went to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 at St. Luke’s Regional Medical Center in Sioux City after a brief illness. Funeral Services are 1:00 P.M. Saturday, February 11, 2017 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Platte. A Committal Service will follow at Platte City Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church with family present from 5:00 – 7:00 P.M. Friday, February 10, 2017 with a 7:00 P.M. Prayer Service.

Theresa Mae (Griffin) Hegge was born on February 8, 1927 in Little River, AL to Wallace and Rosie (Giles) Griffin, one of seven children. She lost two brothers (Earl and Edgar) and one sister (Viola) in their childhoods. Her mother was killed in a car accident when she was just nine years old and her father died when she was in her teens. She lived with her grandmother, Ella Mae Giles for a short time before she was on her own. Her youngest sister, Louise, was adopted at age two.

Terry married Harry C. Hegge in Pensacola, FL on January 9, 1946. They lived in North Carolina for a few years while her husband was in the military and then relocated to Garretson, SD. They lived in Sioux Falls and Dell Rapids, spending most of her adult life in Mitchell, SD. To this union five children were born: Toni, Linda, Don, Mark and Jim.

In 1965, Terry began working in the Mitchell School Lunch Program. By 1970, she took leadership of the School Lunch Program for the next 11years. In 1981, she was hired as the Executive Director of the Sioux Falls Child Nutrition Center. She worked there until her retirement in 1996. During her tenure she oversaw the building of a new Child Nutrition Center. She testified before Congress on the subject of the School Lunch Programs and advocated for free and reduced lunches. She was honored by Senator George McGovern. Terry was featured in an ad for Harkers in Food Management Magazine, October 1987. Throughout her 30 years in Food Management she held leadership positions locally and state-wide. She was a state President of the SFSA in the 1980’s and attended over 20 National Conventions. She had introduced Senator McGovern at a Washington, D. C. Conference and during the summers, taught certification classes at SDSU.

Terry valued friends as family and that feeling was reciprocated. She was loved by everyone who knew her. She had the gift of friendship and hospitality. She loved to play games and while in Mitchell, she and Harry were in a card club for many years playing Rook. She loved to play RummyKub, Pinochle, Phase 10, Farkle, Hand and Foot, and many other games.

Terry had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh. She loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren sending cards on their birthdays up until the last few years. She was the picture of unconditional love. She loved people, especially her adopted family, her in-laws. She always had a smile on her face and enjoyed being with people. She made a friend everywhere she went. Terry loved to cook and there was always room at her table for company. She was a member of The Red Hat Society and active in the Lutheran Ladies Circle.

She and Harry divorced in 1990. She remained in Sioux Falls until 2009 when she moved to Platte, SD where she lived for five years before moving to an assisted living in Dakota Dunes, SD in 2014. She most recently was a resident of Holy Spirit Retirement Home. She was blessed to be treated so beautifully for the time she lived in both facilities.

Grateful for having shared in Terry’s life: her five children: Toni (Norma) Hegge of Palm Desert, CA, Linda (David) Holub of Dakota Dunes, SD, Don (Louise) Hegge of La Quinta, CA, Mark (Kathy) Hegge of Platte, SD and Jim (Sherryl) Hegge La Quinta, CA; 12 grandchildren: Jennifer (Craig) Noteboom, Chris Holub, Heather (Jeff) Gilbertson, Trisha (Kevin) Byerley, Nicole (Chris) Nelson, Brianna Holub, Jaime Holub, Casey (Jessica) Hegge, Amanda (Sean) Hoppe, Chelsea Hegge, Courtney Hegge and Jessica Hegge; 12 great grandchildren: Chloe Noteboom, Kip, Jamie and Thomas Nelson, Ella, Luke, Levi and Caleb Gilbertson, Jaxon Hoppe, Judah Biss, Henry and Lucy Hegge; a brother, Elmore (Evelyn) Griffin of Loxley, AL; a sister, Louise Robinson of Loxley, AL; two sisters-in-law: Millie (Don) Olson and Bonnie Hegge; a brother-in-law, Elmer (Janet) Hegge; along with several nieces and nephews.

Theresa was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers: Edgar, Earl and Frank; a sister, Viola; her great grandson, Connor Noteboom; her ex-husband, Harry Hegge; a sister-in-law, Annie Nelson; and a brother-in-law, Albin Hegge.

Memorials in honor of Terry may be directed to: Holy Spirit Retirement Home, 1701 West 25th Street, Sioux City, IA 51103.

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