Longtime Valley resident Terry Lee Freel, 70, passed away at the family ranch in Moffat, Colorado on June 11, 2016.

Terry’s life began in San Luis Obisbo, California on May 25, 1946. He was a proud son of Harold Louis “Pont” Freel and Winifred Woten. He met Katherine Ann Hughes and they were united in marriage on September 7, 1968 in Durango, Colorado.

Terry’s working career began with truck driving. He delivered propane from La Junta to the San Luis Valley. He then took a job with the Curtis Ranch as a ranch hand. He later started his own business of fence contracting and contracting hay. He purchased cows and began ranching with his dad on the ranch. Summers were spent in the hay field putting up the hay for the winter feed. Winters were filled with the calving, feeding the cows, along with hauling hay to other ranches. He was known to haul anything he could load on a truck. He also moved houses and rail cars for a time. He did anything that he could to make a good living for his family.

In his spare time Terry enjoyed working with draft horses, he loved pulling wagons loaded with people for hay rides, parades, Christmas caroling, and weddings. He also loved hunting, listening to classic country music, dancing, and spending time around the local diner table over a cup of coffee, listening to the old timers tell their stories. He had a good sense of humor and always had a joke to tell. Terry was a bit of a prankster and got a good laugh on many occasion, whether the prank was conjured up by him or one was pulled on him.

Terry was passionate about education and spent more than 20 years on the school board. He enjoyed attending school sporting events and supported many of his children and grandchildren as they played in sports.

Terry is survived by his wife Kathy Freel of Moffat; his children Amy Freel of Moffat, Tina Freel of Moffat and Darrell “Tuff” (Kim) Freel of Edmond, OK; his grandchildren: Amanda (Phil) Longseth of Monte Vista, CO, Hayley Ryker of Longview, TX, Reneé Freel of Aurora, CO, Devin, Mackenzie, Shane, and Blake Freel, all of Edmond OK; his great-grandchildren: Casey, Shailee, Hunter and Brantley; his sister Linda (Dave) Stagner of Moffat and his brother Ron Freel of Belen, NM; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and a host of good friends.

Terry is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Robert Freel of Tucson, AZ and his grandson Ryan Hussey.

Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, June 16, 2016 at the Rito Alto Cemetery in Moffat. A Celebration of Life to follow at the Moffat school.

Rogers Family Mortuary of Alamosa is in care of the arrangements. Online condolences, tributes and remarks may be left for Terry’s family by visiting his obituary at www.RogersFunerals.com

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