Howard Nelson Teerink, age 91, was born on June 8, 1929 in Worthington, MN to Garret John (GJ) and Nellie (Post) Teerink. He was raised on the family farm west of Bigelow. He married Lois Inez Cassens on March 30, 1950. They spent the next 69 ½ years together until Lois passed away in August of 2019. From this union, they had 7 children and lived on an acreage east of Worthington. He had a strong work ethic and took pride in his work whether it was growing and selling tomatoes to the grocery stores or working for many years at the packing house without a sick day. Howard was a member of the Minnesota National Guard and served as a Master Sergeant. He returned home and farmed for several years before working at Campbell Soup, Armours, Monfort, and eventually retiring from Swift. After retirement he found part time employment as a custodian with Green View, working at a rest stop south of Worthington for 19 years. He truly enjoyed this experience; it provided him a stress-free job and an opportunity to meet new people. He had a personality that allowed him to strike up a conversation with most anyone he met. Howard enjoyed gardening, fishing, hunting, camping, cooking and was famous for his baking. He was always learning and educating himself. He took art courses at the community college where he learned how to paint with watercolors and enjoyed painting landscape pictures. Howard was an avid reader often reading several newspapers every day. Howard was a lifelong member of the American Reformed Church and had a strong faith in God. One of his many handwritten notes read, “Always pray to have eyes that see the best in people, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgives the bad and a soul that never loses faith in God.” Howard passed away on Monday, January 18, 2021, at the Maple Lawn Nursing Home in Fulda, MN. Howard is survived and will be missed by his children, Barbara Pelkey (Sioux Falls, SD), Marvin Teerink (Apache Junction, AZ), Laurinda Teerink (Chippewa Falls, WI), Curtis Teerink (Lucinda) (Eau Claire, WI), Galen Teerink (Ann) (Redding, CA), and daughter-in-law, Cindy Teerink (Rushmore, MN); eighteen grandchildren; twenty one great grandchildren; one great great grandson; his sister, Dorothy Van Citters (Lynnwood, WA) and numerous nieces and nephews. His nephew Harold Teerink was more of a brother to Howard and they enjoyed a special bond. Howard was preceded in death by his wife Lois; sons, James (Jim) and Arlyn; his parents; four brothers; four sisters; son-in-law Jesse Pelkey, and three great grandchildren. Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., followed by a memorial service at 11:00 a.m., at the American Reformed Church in Worthington, MN. Burial will be in the Worthington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.