June 9, 1942 – April 6, 2026

Terral Edward Anderson was born in Martinez, California on June 9, 1942 to Robert and Aurelius Anderson. Terry had one older brother, Rodney Robert Anderson. After high school he enlisted in the Air Force in 1961 and trained at Kessler Air Force Base in Mississippi prior to being deployed to Vietnam in 1962. He was stationed at Tan Son Nhat Air Base near Saigon, working as a radar and communications technician. His training and experiences in the military spurred him to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering after serving his country for four years. He attended two years at a junior college then completed his degree at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo. After graduation he worked for General Electric for several years, married and divorced before leaving the ocean for the mountains.
Terry moved to Rifle, Colorado soon after Exxon’s closure of the Colony Oil shale project, gutting 2,000 jobs on Black Sunday. He bought a house with a view above town near the Elks Lodge. He joined his childhood friend in the creation of Trusfab, Inc. in New Castle, manufacturing trusses for the upcoming resort communities building booms. Trusfab still exists today.
Adventures were soon shared with Mary Kroul Cerise, including winters spent in Mesquite, Nevada exploring the desert and casinos. Terry purchased a cabin in the White River National Forest in 1992 and wed Mary two years later on tax day, April 15, 1994 at the We’ve Only Just Begun Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas. Summer and fall found them at the cabin, fishing Meadow Lake and searching for arrowheads. Many hunting seasons would bring rowdy friends and family to the cabin from Iowa and they were exceptional hosts, however not many elk made it to freezers in the Midwest. Great memories were created there.
For decades Terry enjoyed playing video poker and horseshoes, snowmobiling, both cursing and cheering for the Broncos and drinking Bud Light. He and Mary finally divorced in 2018. Dementia then required him to live near family in Carbondale where he made new friends and played pull tabs during his weekly trips to the American Legion. Video poker was replaced with Soduku and scratch tickets and he enjoyed hearing about his grandsons’ sporting events. A good black and white western on TV or sitting in the sun watching the elk in the fields near his home filled his days also.
Much gratitude to HomeCare and Hospice of the Valley for their compassionate care for Terry in his final days at home. Terry passed peacefully there on April 6, 2026.
Terry is survived by his family, Cassie Cerise, Tim, Cole and Chase Fenton, of the Crystal Springs area outside Carbondale.
Terry requested his ashes and favorite beer be spread around his cabin. A celebration will take place there this summer.