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In Memory

Terri Smith (Foster) - Class of 1967

 Teresa "Terri" Louise Foster passed away Oct. 13, 2017, at the age of 67, after a short battle with early onset Alzheimer's disease.

Terri was born in Paris, Texas, on Dec. 20, 1949, and grew up all over the world, including six years in France. She graduated from high school in Seoul, South Korea, and received a degree in journalism from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1972. After graduating, Terri worked as a staff writer for the News-Miner, and as a local television reporterfor awhile. She spent some time living in Africa and then moved to Salem, Oregon, to obtain her law degree from Willamette University in 1978.


After law school, Terri returned to Fairbanks and became a respected and accomplished attorney. She ran a successful private practice for many years, in addition to operating a restaurant and antique store. In approximately 2002, she became the district attorney for Fairbanks, and in 2003, she was appointed Statewide Sexual Assault Coordinator, charged with developing and implementing policies for sexual and child abuse prosecutions throughout the state of Alaska. Terri was extremely passionate about victims' rights issues, and spent the latter part of her career working with prosecutors and law enforcement all over the state to successfully investigate and prosecute dozens of complex assault and abuse crimes. She retired in 2009 and moved to Portland, Oregon, to be closer to her daughter and granddaughters.


Terri was an active member of the United Methodist Church in Fairbanks for years. Upon moving to Oregon, she joined St. Paul's United Methodist Church where she sang in the choir until she became too sick to continue.


Terri was never without a book in her hands and instilled a passion for reading in her granddaughters. She loved spending time with them, baking and telling stories about her childhood. She was the grandma who was never short on crayons and paper for them to create masterpieces, dress up clothes to capture their imaginations, or patience to match their rambunctious adventures. Terri dreamed of spending her retirement traveling and organizing the family genealogy records she had amassed over the years. But what she treasured most was having her granddaughters over for a night of making her famous popcorn and watching cooking shows until way past their bedtime.


Terri is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Danica and Micah Hibpshman; granddaughters, Elena, Rachel and Layla Hibpshman; brother and sister-in-law, Dennis and Linda Smith; brother and sister-in-law, Curtis and Paula Smith; sister, Eileen Smith; and former husband/longtime friend, Gary Foster. She is also survived by her estranged son, Jacob Foster. She will be missed by countless relatives, former colleagues and friends as well. 
A private family memorial will be held in France next summer, where she spent many of her formative years and had hoped to return some day. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the national Alzheimer's Association at www.alz.org or the Alzheimer's Resource of Alaska at www.alaskaalz.org.