“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single flame.” - St. Francis of Assisi
Chelsi Lynn (Podratz) Terwey, age 42 of Otsego MN, passed from her families loving arms into the Lord’s on September 24th, 2020. The cause was non-small cell lung cancer. She was born on November 8th, 1977 to Jerry & Paulette (Schulz) Podratz in Shakopee, MN. Chelsi graduated from Delano High School in 1996. As a very active athlete, she participated & excelled in cross country, basketball, track & field, & played flute in the school band. Chelsi attended college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting in 2000. Chelsi was also a collegiate athlete in Cross Country & Track for 3 years.
After college in October of 2000 Chelsi started working for Motivaction, (now Augeo), & has remained there currently as a senior accountant for what would have been her 20-year anniversary this October. Chelsi loved what she did for her career & cared about so many people she worked with at Motivaction. Always dedicated, she worked until she physically couldn’t in August of 2019.
“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” - Napoleon Hill
This quote sums up best who Chelsi was, she did small things in a great way. Her family & friends were what mattered the most to her in this world, that was her one true passion. One look at any scrapbook she made & you could immediately tell that. Chelsi had a quiet, gentle way about her while remaining the pillar of strength of the family. She took comfort in the little everyday things that made the family tick, helping Cooper with homework, braiding Lexi’s hair, playing family games, & switching decorations in the house to reflect the season were the little moments of joy that she lived for. She was simple & uncomplicated that way, always giving to those around her & thinking of herself last, if ever. This along with her radiant smile that even lung cancer could not suppress, is what drew so many people to love & care for her. She loved spending time in her scrapbooking room creating works of art for memories of past events. Chelsi also loved when spring came along & she could start planting flowers for the front of the house & the deck in the back. She also loved to read & it was very seldom that there wasn’t a book within an arms reach. My how God probably laughed when Chelsi got to heaven & responded to his greeting of how she’s doing with “I’m doing fine, how are you?”
Chelsi’s memory will be carried forward here on earth through her loving husband Erik, daughter Alexis, son Cooper, along with parents Jerry & Paulette (Schulz) Podratz, siblings Derick Podratz, & Kelie (Podratz) Davis, her in-laws, 10 nephews & nieces; Tyler, Mitchell, Amber, Cassie, Jacob, Audrey, Caleb, Caitlyn, Sylvia, & Samuel, & many other extended family & friends.
Chelsi wanted her body to be donated to the Mayo clinic for medical research. When her remains are returned to the family, we will have a large in-person memorial on a later determined date to celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers, considerations for the family may be sent to the lung cancer foundation of your choice in Chelsi’s name, or to the Chelsi Terwey GoFundMe campaign which will be used to plant trees in the Terwey’s yard in remembrance of Chelsi.
There will be a small memorial service for immediate family only due to the Pandemic at Word of Peace Church in Rogers on Sunday, October 4th at 1:00pm. The link to live stream the service is below, we hope you all join us online in remembering Chelsi.
www.wordofpeace.org/funeralstream
“When you were born, you cried & the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries & you rejoice.” - Indian Proverb
Beverly Jean (Lohrman) Grossman, the daughter of George and Anna (Vangstad) Flynn, was born in Osakis, MN on March 19, 1928. Beverly was one of six children. She went to Kindergarten in Sauk Centre, MN before her family moved to South Minneapolis where she attended school from first to eighth grade. Beverly and her family moved back to Osakis where she graduated from high school in 1946. Beverly attended St. Cloud Teachers College, graduating with degrees in English and Physical Education in 1949. She taught English in Princeton, MN for 2 years, Osakis MN for 1 year, and in 1952 she took a teaching position in Alexandria, MN where she raised her two sons, Daniel and Michael.