Terrell Sumner, 82, passed away on April 24, 2021 at his home in Brush.  Terrell was born April 27, 1939 to Clayton Sumner and Vera (Amsberry) Sumner of Brush, CO. He was the youngest of 2 children (Darrell Sumner).

Terrell was not only a graduate of Brush High School in 1957 but he went on to get his teaching degree and Masters degree from the Colorado Teacher's College in Greeley (now UNC). He met the love of his life, Sandra R (Harris) Sumner, in Greeley. He convinced her that Brush was a spectacular place to work and raise a family. Terrell then returned to his hometown in 1965 to become the Arts and Crafts teacher for the next 30 years at BHS, while Sandy taught English Literature at Ft. Morgan High School. The two married on Aug. 27, 1965 and went on to have 2 children, Tory (Aimee) Sumner of Steamboat Springs and Tera (Kelly) Fogo of Centennial.

Over the next 56 years, Terrell had many an adventure. He was a distinguished long-time member of the Free Masons. He was heavily involved in Blue lodge, Consistory, York Rite, Royal Arch, Commandry, Council, and Knight Temper. He was also a member of the Allied Masonic Degrees and the Shriners.

Terrell was an avid hunter, and a mighty good one too. He hunted all over the United States for big game (elk, deer, buffalo, antelope, and grizzly bear) as well as game birds. He went to Africa 3 separate times to hunt their big game (elan, cape buffalo, zebra, kudu, impala, wart hog, gems buck, spring buck and bush pigs). He even made a trip to Russia to hunt bear. He was truly the "Great White Hunter".

Terrell joined the Beaver Creek Muzzle Loaders in 1980. These brilliant and fun characters participated in mountain men rendezvous where everything you have, use, cook on, eat with, sleep in and dress in, had to be period accurate, meaning that it had to have existed prior to 1840. Terrell met many of his very closest friends at rendezvous and the Beaver Creek Muzzle Loaders always traveled together.

He was heavily involved in the community where he was a founding member of the Morgan County Hand Gun club in the early 80's. Terrell helped the Brush museum set up many exhibits, including the arrowhead collections. Terrell also got his pilot's license after he retired from teaching and he joined the Civil Air Patrol and flew with the Morgan County chapter for several years.

Terrell had several passions; travel was high on his list and he shared that passion with his wife Sandy. They traveled to many amazing places. When their children were young, they saw the extraordinary sites close to them in New Mexico, Kansas, South Dakota, Montana, California, New Orleans, and Florida for a trip to Disney World. They saw the likes of Scotland, England, Whales, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, and Canada. They even traveled with a group of their friends from Brush up the Danube from Budapest to Germany and down the Rhine from Amsterdam to France. They loved to explore and experience new lands, new cultures, and new people.

Terrell was amazingly talented with his hands. He could make and do anything. He was a silversmith, a leather worker, he could scrimshaw and carve anything. He did pottery, watercolor, lapidary work, oil and acrylic paintings. There was nothing he could not create, a truly amazing artist.

The thing he was most proud of are his 2 kids and 5 grandkids. He just loved to watch the children grow up so he could teach them all the important things in life and they could share their stories with grandpa.

Terrell was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1994 and beat it back until 2017 when it settled in the bones. He always kept his sense of humor while he entertained his doctors and nurses during chemo treatments. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sandra, his son Tory (Aimee) their kids Patrick and Audrey, and his daughter Tera (Kelly) and their 3 kids, Kylie, Kamdyn and Kaelor.

His was a life well lived, and he will truly be missed.

Services will be held at the Brush High School Auditorium on Friday, June 4 ^th , 2021 at 10:30 a.m. followed by a luncheon in the basement of the Brush Masonic lodge.