Mrs. Terry and Her Camp Fire Girls

A spotlight by Kare 11 News, Boyd Huppert

What would you do if your doctor said you have only a few months to live?

"I went up in an air balloon," exclaims Lois Terry, brimming with excitement as she shows off the pictures of her recent trip in the basket of a hot air balloon.

But as photographs go nothing stirs her emotions like the one hanging on her kitchen wall surrounded by hand written notes from her "girls."

Terry starts to read. "'You wrapped your arms around us in 1964 and you never let go.'" Her voice cracks. It is difficult only because the notes mean so much to her.

The photograph dates back to Richfield in the mid 1960s. It was the first day of Camp Fire Girls and 14 young Bluebirds, all dressed in matching red vests, stand on the front steps of their new leader - Lois Terry.

"'You're one of the most...'" Terry pauses to collect herself, before continuing. "You're one of the most kind-hearted people I know. You accepted everyone as we were and always encouraged us to be the best we could.'"

Forty-five years passed between that photograph of the Blue Birds and Lois Terry's diagnosis with terminal cancer.

What would you do with your last few months?
If you're Lois Terry you'd spend every chance you get with the greatest group of girls who ever set foot on your front steps.

"Oh, my Camp Fire Girls are coming," she says excitedly as the first of the arrivals emerge from their cars.

Soon she's wrapped in hugs from former Camp Fire Girls carrying sub sandwiches, a party cake and scrapbooks.

"Hi, honey, how are you?"

"I love you," each grown up girl responds.

"I love you too."

Youth groups have helped shape a lot of us into the people we are today. But something even more lasting happened when Mrs. Terry took on her giggling band of girls from Richfield.

"I think we knew even when we were little that this was special," says Denise Loesch.

Still they giggle each time they get together, even as they've celebrated each others 50th birthdays.

Loesch recently became a grandmother, another first for the "Camp Fire Girls."

"She loved us, we knew she loved us," says Loesch.

Mrs.Terry loved them from second through 12th grade as Camp Fire Girls -- through musical numbers, mother-daughter brunches and annual trips to Camp Tanadoona.

Loved them so much they just couldn't imagine letting go.

"I think we knew even when we were little that this was special," says Loesch.

The projects they did together to earn beads flowed so easily into marriages and families. And still they gathered -- the girls, their mothers and Mrs. Terry.

Who else would save a dried wildflower picked by a child to give back to a woman 19 years later on her wedding day?

Lois Terry did.

"I was sobbing because I couldn't believe you held on for so long," said Cindee Forby to her former leader as she recalled opening the gift after her wedding.

In a sense they're all holding on, as they sit around a table in Mrs. Terry's assisted living complex singing camp songs.

Not one among them is ready to let their Mrs. Terry go.

"This is going to be hard," says Duraye Marshelle, her words trailing off. Forby's arm is soon wrapped around her. "We'll be there for each other," she says.

Soon the smiles are back as Mrs. Terry sends them on their way. "The sun will come up tomorrow," she tells them. "Bye, bye. I love you all."

How would you live if you were dying?

You could do a lot worse than like a Camp Fire Girl.