Teresa “Gayle Smith” Clark, 52, of Potter, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on February 24, 2021 at Regional West Medical Center after a long battle with cancer. At her request, cremation has taken place and a Celebration of Her Life will take place later this year.
Teresa was born to Terry and Barb Smith on February 25, 1968 in Quincy, Illinois at St. Mary’s Hospital. At the age of four, her family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming where she lived until she graduated from Cheyenne East High School in 1986. She then attended Laramie County Community College and then Colorado State University where she obtained bachelor degrees in Animal Science and Agriculture Journalism. She was also a member of CSU’s livestock showing and judging teams.
After college, Teresa moved to the Scottsbluff area where she met her husband David. They married in 1994 in Harrison, Nebraska and had four daughters: Hayley, Hollie, Heidi, and Halsey. Teresa worked as a freelance writer and wrote many articles for various agricultural newspapers including: Tri-State Livestock, Wyoming Livestock Roundup, Cattle Business Weekly, The Fence Post, Beef Magazine, and numerous others under the pen name Gayle Smith. Teresa was very passionate about agriculture and enjoyed the country lifestyle.
She loved animals and always looked forward to caring for calves and any other animals the family had over the years. When she was younger, Teresa was an avid member of 4-H and FFA. She served as her FFA Chapter President in High School. She passed her love of animals and livestock showing to her daughters which she helped them with for many years.
Teresa also enjoyed crafting, gardening, reading, cooking, and watching crime shows, and she loved spending time with her family and little dog Sophie. She was a strong woman and still made sure to take care of family and rarely complained even though she battled cancer twice over the course of seven years. She fought hard until the very end.
Teresa will be greatly missed and leaves behind her husband of 27 years, David; children Hayley (Devin) Stall, Hollie, Heidi, and Halsey Clark; parents Terry and Barb; sisters Jessica (Danny) Burt and Sammie Smith, and numerous other extended relatives.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents Harold and Mildred Smith and LeRoy and Dorothy Goehl; father-in-law and mother-in-law Eldon and Bonnie Clark; and brother-in-law Bruce Clark.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the American Cancer Society and the Festival of Hope. Sympathy cards may be sent to the family at PO Box 183 Minatare, NE 69356. Online condolences may be left at www.dugankramer.com.
