Mary Therese (Terri) Budnik, passed away peacefully surrounded by family, on Tuesday,

October 14, 2025.

Terri was born on February 20, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois to parents John and Margaret (Taheny)

Horan, Irish immigrants to the United States. She attended St. Andrews Catholic School in

Chicago and the Immaculata High School, graduating in 1958. After high school, Terri worked as

a private secretary for the World Book Encyclopedia Corporation and the Norge Appliance

Corporation, both in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart.

In 1957, Terri met her husband, Tom, at a high school dance, and they danced their way

through their engagement into their marriage on June 25, 1960, at St. Andrews Church, now

having been married for over 65 years.

Tom and Terri were blessed with their four children and their families, Timothy (Angela) Budnik,

Julie (Steve), Winslow, Nancy (Jamie) Elleby, and Christine (Jeff) Burchfield, their grandchildren

Kaitlin (Sean) Slaven, Ryan (Miranda) Budnik, Maggie (Paul) Bundy, Colin (Megan) Elleby, and

Thomas and Carolyn Burchfield, and their great-grandchildren Emilia and Landon Slaven, Keir

and Maris Budnik, Catherine and Claire Bundy, and Theodore and Hudson Elleby.

In Ames, Iowa, Terri worked as a CNA at Northcrest Retirement and Health Care Center, as a

CNA at the Coronary Intensive Care Unit at Mary Greeley Medical Center, a Substitute Teacher

Associate at Meeker Elementary School, an Administrative Assistant for Iowa ASCD, a Respite

Care Volunteer for Hospice Care program, and a long-time Volunteer at Mary Greeley Medical

Center. She also was a gardener and a house decorator and keeper extraordinaire.

Terri spent treasured years as the “First Lady” of the International Association for the

Supervision and Curriculum Development. Representing this organization, always perfectly

groomed and dressed, she enjoyed and treasured the memories of her opportunity to be both

involved and to travel with her husband, Tom, to the Caribbean, Europe, Canada, the Middle

East, and Asia.

Terri’s love for her Irish heritage filled her life with the utmost pride. She was honored as

Queen of the Annual Irish Day Festival in 1955, and her life was filled with Irish traditions and

celebrations that included preparation of traditional Irish food on St. Patrick’s Day. She also

embraced her husband, Tom’s, Polish traditions at the Easter and Christmas celebrations with

family and friends centered around their faith.

Being a cradle-Catholic, Terri was guided by her faith in all things in life and participated with

her husband, Tom, in Teams of Our Lady Christian Marriage Spirituality, the Franciscan Married

Couples Retreats in Minnesota for 35 years, Adoration for 25 years at St. Cecilia Catholic

Church, and as a School Volunteer at St. Cecilia Catholic School. Terri and her husband were

long-time members of St. Cecilia Catholic Church.

Terri will be remembered best as a loving, devoted, and caring mother, grandmother, and great

grandmother, loyal and supportive friend, best friend, companion, and wife to her husband,

Tom. Her friendliness, compassion and prayers, always shared by extending an extra blessing,

was a gift she so sincerely shared, with anyone she would meet.

Terri was preceded in death by both parents.

Terri is survived by her husband of 65 years, Tom, their four children, six grandchildren, and

eight great-grandchildren.

Services will be held at St. Cecilia Parish at 2900 Hoover Ave., Ames, Iowa 50010. A Memorial

Mass will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, October 27, 2025, with a visitation beginning at

9:30 A.M.

The memorial mass will be livestream and can be viewed at https://youtu.be/YBQasho0ErA

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family, and they will donate to either

Franciscan Spirituality and Retreat Center in Prior Lake, Minnesota or to St. Cecilia School.

Extra special thanks to the wonderful staff at Maggie’s Place Northridge Village Memory Care

and appreciation to Suncrest Home Health and Hospice for their attentive and compassionate

care and love for Terri and their family.

Online condolences may be left at Adams Funeral Home, at 502 Douglas Avenue in Ames, Iowa.

Adams Funeral Home is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.