Terrie (Theresa) Ann Kjos-Palmer
October 24, 1960 – March 26, 2026
Terrie (Theresa) Ann Kjos-Palmer, 65, passed away at home in Tucson on March 26, 2026, after a courageous battle with leukemia. A cherished mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend, Terrie faced a year and a half of treatment with extraordinary resilience and grace. Her care team at the University of Arizona Cancer Center-Banner Health supported her every step of the way, but in the end, pneumonia claimed her life.
Terrie’s greatest joy was her son, Orion, of Washington, D.C., who survives her along with her father, Glenn Kjos, of Tucson; sisters Trudie (Scott) Rinehart of Williston, N.D., and Tiffany Kjos, of Tucson; niece Christine Beale of Tucson; nephew John (Brittany) Beale of Firestone, Colo.; and niece Wendy (David) Kostelac of Peoria. She is also survived by great-nieces and great-nephews Andrew Niccum, JJ Beale, Bryn Beale and Austin and Grace Kostelac.
Terrie lived with a fiercely independent and adventurous spirit. She found peace and happiness in the natural beauty of southeastern Arizona, spending hours hiking the mountains and trails of Cochise and Santa Cruz counties and wandering along the San Pedro River, on her own and with her many friends. She welcomed the monsoon and winter rains, in harmony with the elements.
Born on October 24, 1960, in Ypsilanti, Michigan, Terrie grew up in California, living in Fresno, Long Beach and Fullerton, where she graduated from high school in 1978. Life took her across the country, from Virginia to Arizona and back to Southern California, where she and Orion lived and made lifelong friends. She ultimately returned to Arizona.
Terrie embraced life with curiosity and energy, working in a variety of roles over the years, including with the Arizona Department of Child Safety, Big Nose Kate’s Saloon in Tombstone, the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind in Tucson, and the Copper Queen Hotel and The Letson Loft Hotel in Bisbee. She found her calling as a licensed massage therapist and realtor, helping and connecting with others in meaningful ways.
Bisbee was where Terrie’s heart truly belonged. Though she most recently lived in Elgin and later Tucson while undergoing treatment, she always carried Bisbee with her, along with her beloved cats Midnight and Miss Betty.
Terrie will be laid to rest on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, beside her mother, Barbara, at East Lawn Palms Mortuary & Cemetery, 5801 E. Grant Road, Tucson. A private family viewing will be held from 2 to 2:30 p.m. prompt. After that her friends are welcome to visit from 2:30 to 3 p.m., when a brief graveside service will commence, followed by a celebration of life. The address and directions to the venue will be provided at the services.
She will be deeply missed and forever remembered for her strength and independence, her love for her family, her vibrant style, and the quiet beauty she found in the world around her.