Therese "Terri" Ann Blakeslee's Obituary
Terri Blakeslee, 76, passed away in her home on the 2nd of October. She was born in Orlando, Florida on the 9th of September, 1949 at 9:49am.
Terri was preceded in death by her son, Brad. She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Bob Blakeslee, her eight other children: Lisa and husband David, Dina and husband John, Matthew, Nathan, Micah and wife Sarah, Bobby, Kerry and wife Alicen, and Mya; her sister Janet and family, brother Johnny; her eleven grandchildren: Natalie and husband Chris, Justin and wife Gabby, Tim and wife Victoria, Beth Ann and husband Alex, Christoff, Luke, Leah and husband Garth, Jonah and wife Emma, Noah, Dakota, and Adelyn; her six great-grandchildren: Shannon, Davis, Miller, Emmitt, Caleb, and Grant.
Terri earned her AA degree in Journalism from Valencia Community College, Orlando 1980, a BA in Communications from the University of Central Florida, Orlando 1982 and an MA in Humanities and History from California State University Dominguez Hills, Carson, California 2008.
Terri grew up in Apopka, Florida, where her first job was as a secretary for the Apopka Chamber of Commerce. While raising her children, she ran a home-based greenhouse business and freelanced for several publications, including the Orlando Sentinel. After dedicating her life to the Lord Jesus, she married her husband, Bob, and moved to North Carolina, where she became a schoolteacher—a vocation she truly viewed as her calling. For Terri, teaching went beyond just imparting knowledge; it was about loving, mentoring, counseling, and sharing the love of Jesus. Her deep affection for her students is reflected in the many young people who still refer to her as "Momma B."
Terri and Bob married on the 3rd of March, 1984. In 1987, they moved back to Florida where they designed and built their dream home, raising their children there. They cherished that home as their family’s foundation until her passing.
Terri’s life was anchored in her deep relationship with Jesus, followed by her unwavering devotion to family. Her countless passions, each reflecting her love for others and creativity, were a testament to her vibrant spirit. She authored five books, which are listed on Amazon, and wrote scripts and directed plays for Vineyard Family Players. Her talents extended to cooking, crocheting, jewelry-making, and pencil drawing—always creating to bless others. Whether it was preparing meals for her church or gifting handmade jewelry, she loved giving. Terri found joy in her garden, both for personal fulfillment and to share food with others. Above all, her greatest passion was teaching, whether in the classroom, women’s ministry, or Sunday School.
Terri was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, educator and friend and will be greatly missed.
A viewing for the public will be one hour before the Celebration of Life, which is scheduled for Saturday, the 11th of October, at 1PM at Countryside Baptist Church 10926 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville, with interment to follow in Countryside Baptist Cemetery.
Because she always loved to give, especially to children, in lieu of flowers, the family asks that you donate or pack a Christmas shoebox for Samaritan’s Purse https://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child
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