Dency J. Terrill

Dency Terrill, 79, left us physically on Sunday June 10, 2018, peacefully and at home. Dency was born on March 2, 1939, to Walter and Arleen Terrill in Cleveland, OH. She attended Kirtland High School, where she met her first husband, James R McCartney. She raised their two daughters, Julia K McCartney Hogston (James) and Patricia E McCartney (Rich Riedmaier) in Wayne/Westland Michigan. She was blessed with 6 grandchildren; Jeremy Hogston (Jacki Peyton), Jessica Hogston Ellmore (Thomas), James Hogston, Janice Hogston (Dennis Grubaugh), Logan Burwell, and Chloe McCartney (Devon Wade Reed Perry) as well as two great-granddaughters, Misteana and Alyza Hogston. Dency was a proud graduate of University of Michigan and was an avid reader and enjoyed writing as well. One of her proudest moments was the publication by Highlights Magazine of a childrens story she wrote about mastodons. That story combined her love of writing with her true passion, archaeology. She hoped to be a professional archaeologist, but instead life steered her to a career as an apartment manager, which turned out to be a blessing as that is where she met her second husband, Robert Spitler. She and Bob traveled Northern Michigan extensively and she treasured their trip to Yellowstone. It was without Bob, however, that she and her intrepid friends headed out to the Algonquin National Forest for a canoe trip, which ended early when she broke her ankle in several places and had to be carried out. While her ego was a bit bruised, it was the story of a lifetime! Dency also filled her time with sewing lap blankets for veterans, knitting caps for premature babies, and loved climbing her family tree to find out who came before her. She adored her cats Khloe, Boudica, and Madeline and they gave her much love in return. She was actively involved in the Westland Jaycee Auxiliary and the Michigan Archaeology Society, and held board positions in both . Her generous and adventurous spirit will be greatly missed. Dency is survived by her children and their descendants, sister Adah Wakelee, brother Milton Terrill, numerous nieces and nephews, and son-in-law Mark Burwell. She was preceded in death by her brothers Butler and Chester Terrill and her husband, Robert Spitler. No public services will be held. Donations in her memory can be made to Best Friends Animal Society (www.bestfriends.org), a visit to which was on her bucket list, or the Huron Valley Chapter of the Michigan Archaeology Society (www.hvcmiarch.wordpress.com).