Terry Lee Kringle, a remarkable man, passed away at home on April 14, 2025, at the age of 80. With a contented heart, he reflected on his life, expressing, "I have had a great life and I wouldn't have changed a single thing other than getting cancer…"

Terry was born June 1,1944 to Clarence and Wanda Kringle in Madison, WI. His father was in the Air Force and stationed at Truax Field at that time. After WWII his family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan where his sister Sharon was born. Later they settled in Webster, WI where a third child, Richard was born. Terry's father had taken over his family's lumber business and by age 16, Terry was working at a sawmill turning logs into lumber.

Terry graduated from Webster High School in 1962 and enrolled in the Wisconsin State Teacher's College in River Falls while continuing to work at the Webster Lumber Yard on weekends.

In the spring of 1964, at a Webster High School graduation party, he met his future wife Jean Krauss who had recently moved to Webster. She had hoped to date Terry ever since she saw him pitching at softball games and slalom skiing on Austin Lake. Terry recalled that their first date was on May 30, 1964. Both Terry and Jean attended Wisconsin State University-River Falls where they both earned degrees in education. Terry later earned his Master's degree in Educational Administration.

They were married on August 26, 1967, two days before Terry embarked on his internship teaching at River Falls. After graduation he secured a teaching position at Baldwin Woodville. During that time, he also held various summer jobs, including lifeguarding at the River Falls Pool, house painting and tending bar at Tony's Fireside near Hayward.

At a time when some public schools would not hire married couples, Terry and Jean found teaching positions at Belleville, thanks to Darrel Fitch. During Terry's 34 years at Belleville, he taught junior high math, science, and served as assistant principal. He is remembered for the 8th-grade field trips to Chicago. Terry was a man of strong convictions and as BEA president for many years he supported teachers' rights to bargain for wages, hours and conditions of employment.

Throughout his career, Terry played a significant role in the Village of Belleville, and made a long-term commitment to fostering a thriving business and private community. He actively participated in Village government, serving as a Trustee for 23 years and as a member of numerous Committees for a total of 27 years. When questions arose about municipal government, Terry was the go-to person. His commitment to the community extended beyond his involvement in government. He also served as a Belleville EMT for 20 years and more recently as an RSVP driver.

He designed their house on North Shore Drive and he and Jean did all of the interior finish work. It was his idea to put a cement ramp from the garage down into the basement to easily store snow blowers and garden equipment. He enjoyed having a vegetable garden, fruit trees, and maintaining the yard. The basement also contains his workout gym and his woodworking shop. He was a skilled woodworker and made beautiful furnishings for their home but he was most proud of the magnificent poker table that he made for his seven card playing buddies. It features built in chips trays and holders for Michelob Ultra beer bottles.

A high school photo of Terry reveals that he liked to bake chocolate chip cookies and he ironed his own shirts. That domesticity carried over to married life when he cleaned house, did laundry and enjoyed cooking.  He is famous for canning dill pickles, apple butter and tomato salsa. He was a master flipper when they made lefse for Christmas. Terry celebrated his birthdays with rhubarb custard pie topped with candles.

Terry thoroughly enjoyed participating in sports. He was welcomed to the Belleville Faculty Five bowling team and the Gamble's Hardware Store slow pitch softball team. He personally enjoyed biking, cross-country skiing and kayaking. He completed the Sugar River Triathlon when he was 69. Terry and Jean had season tickets for Badger Men's Hockey for 40 years. His favorite sport was golfing with his friends and on August 24, 2024 he shot his first hole-in-one at the Edelweiss Chalet Country Club.

The Kringles were enthusiastic travelers and their first great adventure was a six-week expedition to Europe in a VW Camper bus. Back then you had to rely on Michelin travel guides and road maps. When you marry an art teacher you seek out Gothic cathedrals and art museums. So, in 1970 they saw Mona Lisa face to face in the Louvre, Michelangelo's David and a close-up encounter with the gargoyles grasping the towers of Notre Dame in Paris. Terry planned numerous wide-ranging travel experiences including snorkeling face to face with barracuda in the Virgin Islands, encountering Queen Elizabeth in person at Edinburgh Castle and following great bear tracks into an Alaska rainforest.

When Terry retired in 2001, the first thing he did was buy a Harley Davidson Sportster that he kept immaculately shiny. Then he motored around the backroads of southwestern Wisconsin.

Some of his fondest memories were times spent with nieces and nephews when they came to visit and they explored places like Henry Vilas Zoo, Old World Wisconsin, the Merrimac Ferry, Devil's Lake, and the State Capital. No visit was complete without Terry's popular waffles for breakfast.

He was a devoted cat lover cat and four generations of cats sought his warm lap when he sat in his recliner. He was an avid reader and favored thrillers usually provided by the Belleville Public Library.  That experience was made all the better with a mocha from the Llama - his favorite.

Terry couldn't carry a tune he but loved Blues music. He and Jean took ballroom dance lessons; the jitterbug was his favorite as they demonstrated at their 25th Anniversary to the music of Summer Haze. When they celebrated their Golden Anniversary Terry chartered a paddlewheel boat for a cruise up the St. Croix River with family and friends. They were together for 60 years and were blessed with a truly wonderful life together.

He often said that he hoped to still be golfing when he lived to be 100.

Terry is survived by his wife Jean, sister Sharon (Jim) Morse, sister-in-law Bonnie Krauss, nieces, and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Richard.

A celebration of Terry's life will be held at a later date.

Memorials are suggested to Agrace HospiceCare, Inc.

The Becker-Beal Funeral Home of Belleville is assisting the family.