Death Notice: Terry Svalberg
November 14, 2021
Terry Lee Svalberg, 66, died peacefully and unexpectedly in his sleep on October 29, 2021 at his home in Pinedale, Wyoming. Private services will be held at some time in the future.
Obituary – Terry Svalberg
September 4, 1955 – October 29, 2021
Terry Lee Svalberg, 66, died peacefully and unexpectedly of a heart attack in his sleep on October 29, 2021 at his home in Pinedale, Wyoming. He did not have COVID-19. He was born on September 4, 1955, in Evanston, Wyoming, to Bud and Patricia Sleeth Svalberg. He grew up as the youngest of four children in Wyoming, New Mexico, and Oregon where he graduated from high school in Salem. Terry went on to attend Oregon State University in Corvallis where he graduated with a B.S. degree in Soil Science in 1979.
After college, Terry went on to work for the Kootenai National Forest as a Soil Science Technician out of the Supervisor’s Office in Libby, Montana. There he married his college sweetheart, Dawn Ballou. They lost their first child due to a miscarriage. They had their son Alan in 1984 in Libby. The family moved to Yakima, Washington in 1984 so Terry could take a professional position as a Soil Scientist mapping soils for the Yakima Indian Nation. He worked for the Yakima Tribe for seven years and they had their second son, Steven, while in Yakima. In 1991, Terry moved the family to Pinedale, Wyoming to advance his career as a professional Soil Scientist working for the Pinedale Ranger District of the Bridger-Teton National Forest. where he remained for the next 26 years. He and his wife later divorced. Terry worked for almost 25 years as a Soil Scientist mapping soils and vegetation in Montana, Washington and Wyoming. He was actively involved in developing processes for Ecological Unit Mapping for the Forest Service as Program Manager of the Bridger-East Ecological Unit Inventory. He later transitioned to the Forest Service Air Quality team as an Air Quality Specialist for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. He had duties shared between R2/R4 and sometimes R1. He retired in 2017 after a long and rewarding professional career, remaining in Pinedale.
Terry enjoyed hunting and fishing, and being out in his woodworking shop building things. For a time, he had his own one-person construction business in Montana doing custom woodworking and small remodeling jobs, which he enjoyed very much. When the family moved to Wyoming, he took on the project of building a full-size detached 2-car garage/shop on their property adjacent to their home and he later remodeled their attached two-car garage into a wonderful family room and additional living space for his growing family. He was a very good cook and created some amazing sauces and glazes that are still treasured family recipes. He enjoyed a glass of Chivas Regal. In 1994, he was devastated by the murder-suicide deaths of his parents and that impacted him greatly. Terry was a loving father and devoted grandfather. He was endlessly supportive to his kids and the biggest fan of his grandson, Thompson. Terry was a good man who will be missed terribly by his family and friends.
Terry is survived by his sons: Alan (his wife Megan and grandson Thompson) of Teton Village, Wyoming, and Steven of Arvada, Colorado. Also by his two brothers: Barry of Albuquerque, New Mexico; Larry (Margie) of Salmon, Idaho; and sister Sharon (Lynn Nelles) of Gardnerville, Nevada; and numerous extended cousins, nieces and nephews.
Terry was cremated in Pinedale and private family services were held. The family requests in lieu of flowers, those wishing to do so please donate to a charity of your choice.
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