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Oct. 4, 1946 — May 1, 2021

Terry Lee Flint, 74, of Niles, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, community supporter, and scarecrow lady, died peacefully at 2:10 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, 2021, with family at her bedside at Spectrum Health Lakeland Medical Center in Saint Joseph, Michigan following a brief illness.

She was born on Oct. 4, 1946, in Niles to Wyatt E. and Gladys I. (Bauman) Martin, and was graduated from Niles High School. In 1984, she began a career at the former Clark Credit Corporation in Buchanan, Michigan, moving with them to Dallas, Texas in 1995, and retiring in 2009 as a vice-president at Clark’s successor, Clark/Citi/GE Finance. She returned from Carrollton, Texas to Niles where she has lived most of her life.

Terry was a very active volunteer with the Buchanan Scarecrow Charities, and helped at the Buchanan Art Center. She was a member of the Niles Charter Township Tax Review Board and the Niles District Library Board, and was a volunteer poll worker at Niles Charter Township elections.

She enjoyed live music, attending area jazz concerts including Smooth Jazz at Sunset in the Shadowland Pavilion at Silver Beach, and was a great fan of the Chippewa Project band, never missing their performance at the annual Chippewapalooza in Buchanan (Terry is clearly present on Chippewapalooza’s Facebook cover photograph).

At home, Terry enjoyed keeping her lawn and flowerbeds looking wonderful, walking throughout the neighborhood to visit friends, and caring for her pet dog, Lucy. But her greatest joy was her family, especially her grandchildren.

She was previously married to Jerry Flint, and they were sadly preceded in death by a 13-year-old daughter, Sara Rene Flint on May 27, 1991. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Wyatt and Gladys Martin.

Surviving family includes her children, Theresa (& Duffy) Suseland, of Niles, and Damon (& Christine) Flint, of Chester, New Jersey; grandchildren, Hunter and Harrison; Terry’s brothers, Richard (& Cheri) Martin, of Buchanan, and Bill (& Linda) Martin and Mike (& Liz) Martin, both of Niles; many nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins; and a great circle of wonderful friends.

The family of Terry Flint will host a  very casual  gathering of relatives and friends from 1 until 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, 2021, at the Chippewapalooza Grounds, 928 Chippewa St. in Buchanan. Masking and social distancing appropriate for outside gatherings will be practiced. Cremation has been completed, and the cremated remains will be interred privately, at a later date at Mission Hills.

Contributions in memory of Terry may be made to the Buchanan Scarecrow Charities, 324 East Dewey Street, Suite 108, Buchanan, MI, 49107; facebook.com/Buchanan-Scarecrow-Charities-594183673960360/. Arrangements were made at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles. Online condolences may be left at: halbritterwickens.com.

Terry clearly loved life. More importantly, she loved the community in which she lived, and most importantly, loved the people: her fellow scarecrow ladies and the people helped by the scarecrow charities; her fellow poll workers and those coming to vote; fellow concert-goers and those performing; and above all, her family, especially those grandchildren.