Terry Lee Sverdsten, 88

Beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, community leader and friend, Terry Lee Sverdsten, 88, of Cataldo, Idaho, passed away Oct. 2, 2020, at his home in Cataldo. He was born Sept. 8, 1932, at the family farmhouse in Cataldo, a short distance of where Terry now resided.

Terry attended and graduated from Kellogg High School. After high school, Terry spent summers logging with his father in order to work his way through college at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash. He majored in business management and minored in music. By the end of his second year in college, there just wasn’t enough money, so he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Terry spent two years in the Army serving in the top 10 on the Camp Gordon, Georgia Rifle Team. After serving in the Army, Terry returned to Pacific Lutheran University to complete his degree in business management. During his return, he also met the love of his life Dee Duea and they were married on Sept. 15, 1957.

Terry and brothers, Don and Dale along with their father, owned and operated a family logging business — Sverdsten Logging for many years. In later years, Terry logged with his sons and nephews. After Terry retired from logging, he sold saw blades for sawmills for Saw Technology for several years. He also lovingly took care of his beloved wife Dee, who suffered from Alzheimer's, for the last six years of her life; she passed away March 24, 2016.

From 1980 through 1988, Terry served as Idaho Senator for Legislative Districts two and three. He also served as Commissioner for Eastside Kootenai Highway District for more than 10 years.

Terry was a member of the American Lutheran Church in Kellogg and had taught Sunday school for 28 years at the Lutheran churches in Kellogg and Pinehurst; he served on the Kootenai School District board for six years, he was a member of the Lake City Harmonizers BarberShop Quartet and Chorus, a member of the Panhandle Division of the Back Country Horseman, served as president of the Intermountain Logging Conference in 1984, served on the board of the Silver Valley Fuller Center for Housing where he faithfully volunteered for several years and was an appointed member to the board of the Idaho Forest Owners Association.

Terry loved and enjoyed his family, cutting firewood, cutting and trimming trees on his tree farm, skidding logs, piling brush and stayed active in logging until present. Terry hunted until his 70’s and had hunted caribou in Alaska with his brother, Don. He also enjoyed fishing, gardening, enjoying his flowers and blueberries, and huckleberry picking.

Terry is survived by one daughter, Lucia (Randy) Anderson of Cataldo; three sons, David (Suzi) Sverdsten of Cataldo, Paul Sverdsten also of Cataldo and Ron (Marie) Sverdsten of Pinehurst; his grandchildren, Jeremy, Casey, Chris, Zachary, Stefanie, Ashley, Ben, Sara and Stephanie; many great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Terry was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Dee; one grandson, Todd Sverdsten; and two brothers, Dale and Don.

A celebration of Terry’s life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, at the Sverdsten Home in Cataldo; everyone is welcome.

The family suggests memorials may be made to American Lutheran Church, 15 E. Mullan Ave., Kellogg, ID 83837; or to the Silver Valley Fuller Center for Housing, P.O. Box 338, Smelterville, ID 83868.

Shoshone Funeral Services & Crematory, Kellogg, Idaho, is entrusted with services. You may share your memories of Terry and sign his guest book at www.shoshonefuneralservice.com.