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Terry Alexander Bicknell
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January 6, 1941 ~ May 6, 2013 |
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May 11, 2013 |
Terry Alexander Bicknell was born on January 6,
1941, to William Jay and Ruby Esther (Collins)
Bicknell in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He departed
this life on May 6, 2013, at the extended care
unit in Bonners Ferry, Idaho after a lengthy
illness.
Terry grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, in and around
his parents’ boarding house during World War II.
While in his late teens he worked summers in
Stone Mountain Park, where he rode horses as he
reenacted western scenes for the train
passengers.
In his 20s and 30s Dad was an avid motorcyclist;
even making a cross country trip to California.
He was a man of many talents whose life was full
even though cut short by his illness, robbing
him of the ability to function.
At the age of 19, Dad joined the Air National
Guard where he served 28 years as an electronics
technician. Terry enjoyed framing and
construction work, dabbling in various small
business endeavors and most anything that
allowed him to be in God’s great outdoors.
On May 25, 1968 in Atlanta, Terry was joined in
marriage to Suellen Krabill of Louisville, Ohio.
To their marriage was born three sons and one
daughter.
Shortly after their marriage, always the
adventurous type, Dad and Mom picked up and
moved out to remote Western Montana. Here, while
Mom taught school, Dad worked construction. In
the late 1970s, Terry and Suellen built and ran
a “Mom and Pop” mercantile store in Yaak,
Montana, on the Idaho-Montana border for 10
years. In the late 1980s he moved the family to
Bonners Ferry, where he operated a lawn care
business and began a portable storage business.
One of the last things he did before the illness
took over was to construct a nice home for his
family.
Terry spoke of a conversion experience at the
age of twelve, but stated he did not grow in his
Christian life for many years. In 1980 God gave
the couple a son, Frederick. Frederick survived
only a few days and through this Terry turned
once again to the Lord. During family devotion
time Terry’s favorite songs were “Stand Up,
Stand Up for Jesus” and “Onward Christian
Soldiers.”
Dad’s family was a very important part of his
life. Always wanting all of us to be together,
he took us on many road trips. The longest of
which was a four month “mega” trip around the
USA. Very often our shorter trips would involve
visiting historical sites or national parks.
Those surviving are wife Suellen of Bonners
Ferry, son Conrad and wife Leonie and their two
sons: Vincent and Elias, all of Foster City,
California; Malesha of Scio, Oregon; John and
wife Brittany and son Spencer of Bonners Ferry;
sister-in-law Dorothy Bicknell, Flowery Branch,
Georgia; sister-in-law Louanne Zakaski (Jim) of
Louisville, Ohio; brother-in-law Joe Krabill
(Teri) of State College, Pennsylvania;
brother-in-law David Krabill (Jackie) of
Jacksonville, Florida; and several nieces and
nephews.
Terry was preceded in death by his infant son
Frederick; his mother and father; and his only
sibling, William Jay, Jr.
The family would like to thank the Boundary
County ECF Staff for their wonderful service and
all the others that have helped us through this
time.
Funeral Services were held May 10 at Mountain
View Mennonite Church, Bonners Ferry, with
ministers Shane Ensz, Glenn Ensz, Willis Dyck,
and Ben Nystrom officiating. Interment followed
in Mountain View Cemetery, Bonners ferry.
Family and friends are invited to sign Terry’s
book at
www.bonnersferryfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to the care of
Bonners Ferry Funeral Home. |
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