Terri Lynn Grams

Terri Lynn Grams passed away at the age of 63 on December 10th, 2022 surrounded by family and friends.

Terri was born in 1959 to Reed and Irene Burns. She was a devoted daughter and sister, an accomplished swimmer, a strong student, and a source of quiet, calm leadership to her friends and peers.

She met her husband of 40 years, Jed, in college at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Jed made her laugh and easily blush throughout her life. His exuberant, "TERRI! HOW THE HELL ARE YA!" when he saw her down the hallway at school is a favorite family story. Her calming presence and his loud humor were a perfect balance, and they married on April 2nd, 1982. They remained best friends and soulmates until the end.

Terri's daughter, Erin, was born in 1984, and her selflessness and love expanded even further. Motherhood was a role she relished. Terri read to Erin for hours a day and instilled in her a desire to learn from a very early age. She also taught her to swim, and drove for hours every week to get her to practices and swim meets. As her daughter grew older, she became a best friend and confidante. Her unwavering support, fierce love, and unflinching honesty were given unconditionally to her husband and daughter. She was both strength and softness, a motivator and a respite.

The home Terri created for her family was warm, filled with joy—and many beloved pets!—and always open to all. Holidays, cookouts, Packer and Brewer game days…she loved any occasion to plan amazing menus and spend time with everyone in her life. Whether at home with a formal dinner or at the cottage grilling, Terri's people gathered and indulged in the warmth of her trademark smile and her impeccable hospitality.

Terri's altruism and affection extended to all humans and animals who were lucky enough to meet her, making even the loneliest of souls feel important and loved. She was a shoulder to cry on, a sparkling wit, and a beautiful human being.

Her legacy is this: Be a better person than you ever thought you could be.

Up north there is a beautiful cabin on a small, spring fed lake. There, Terri swims from her dock to the rock on which turtles sun themselves. Sometimes Jed rows his boat alongside her. Other times, she is accompanied in the water by Erin, her sister, Kay, or her nieces and nephews. Her strokes are strong and confident. Any pauses are not because a break is needed. She simply wants a moment to float on her back and enjoy the infinite blue of the sky and the familiar halo of trees. The world is peaceful; the lake laps past her ears and fills them with silence. She has never been happier. She has never been more free.

Terri is survived by her husband, Jed Grams; daughter Erin Grams (Leonardo Jordao); mother Irene Burns; sister Kay Welke-Allison (Keith Allison); brother Patrick Burns (Paula Hipke Libbin); and her beloved nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to als.org. We need a cure.