Teresa Loretta Deshon

DESHON, Teresa Teresa Deshon passed away peacefully on December 2. A longtime resident of Sandpoint, Idaho, Teresa was born in Elk City, Oklahoma. She is survived by her sister Alice Jenkins; her children Cheryl Paton, Richard Deshon and Daniel Deshon, III; her grandchildren Polly Maxwell, Emmy Wise, John Deshon and Daniel Deshon, IV ; and her great -grandchildren Madelyn Maxwell, Peyton Maxwell, Alyssa Deshon, Kelsey Deshon, Samantha Deshon and Kyle Deshon. In her long full life, Teresa was involved in numerous civic activities on both the local and state level, as well as organizations that affected her family and friends. Teresa served on the Sandpoint City Council from 1978 to 1988 and was also a City Planning and Zoning Commission member. She helped initiate The Legion of Fine Arts, the precursor to the Pend Oreille Arts Council,and was a member of the Festival at Sandpoint’s advisory board. She was involved in establishing the Sandpoint City Beach and construction of the bleachers at the Bonner County Fairgrounds. She was also an avid participant in "Lost in the 50s." In 1987, then Governor Cecil Andrus made her the first appointee to the fledgling Idaho Lottery Commission, where she served until 2006. Teresa also served on other state commissions involving health care finance and judicial selection. Teresa was named a “Woman of Wisdom” in 2001, by Women Honoring Women, a Sandpoint organization celebrating women who touch lives in the community. She served as treasurer for Beta Sigma Phi, an international women’s friendship network. She was involved in the Inland Empire Chapter of the Girl Scouts. She was active in the March of Dimes, and dedicated to helping the developmentally disabled. She traveled the globe and her love of family and friends, golf, bridge and entertaining at her home on the lake gave her great pleasure. She will be sadly missed. A Celebration of Her Life will be held on December 8 at 3 PM at the Sandpoint Events Center, 102 Euclid Avenue, Sandpoint, Idaho. In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to L’Arche, 703 E. Nora, Spokane, WA 99207 or Artisans,200 E. 2nd, #A, Spokane, WA 99202. RIPLINGER FUNERAL HOME, SPOKANE,WA.