MY LIFE WITH TERI FLANAGAN

 (Teri authored a story about me entitled "My Life with Dana Rushing" in the local newspaper after I moved from Horseshoe Bay to Austin. It was a total surprise and touched me beyond words. She is now in hospice at a facility in Marble Falls. Teri's husband has given me permission to publish this story. It will be in The Beacon this week.)

I’m incredibly fortunate to have a friend I could call to assist me with the various projects I began or coordinated while living in Horseshoe Bay for five years. Other friends also answered my call to action, but Teri was always the first one I contacted because I was confident she would agree to help. Teri once said when she saw my name on her caller ID, she knew I wasn’t calling to chat and that she was being recruited for another project. Still, Teri answered my call.

Teri is a talented artist and an avid reader. Her beautiful painting of a colorful donkey hangs in my home. A burnt orange wooden walking stick David made helps keep me upright when I take long walks with my dog. Those two treasured items remind me of them daily, as I no longer live in HSB and have not seen them in a year.

Teri's husband, David, is equally gifted, especially in woodworking. The three Little Free Libraries in HSB are monuments to his craft and their collaboration as a couple.

Teri loves her children, grandchildren, and husband with every beat of her heart. David and Teri are the perfect partnership – they are best friends and work as a team, each with their own gifts. They knew each other while students at Nolan High School in Fort Worth many years ago but traveled different paths after graduating. Years passed before they would see each other again at a mutual friend’s family gathering; the rest is history. It wasn’t long after the reunion that they became a couple and married. They moved to HSB after retiring eight years ago.

When I was the Llano County Democratic Chair, I needed someone to work the polls in HSB. I contacted Teri, and she immediately agreed. She has been a consistent, knowledgeable poll worker for six years. Teri is creative in many ways. She designed cards, cookbooks, ads, and calendars for Highland Lakes Democratic Women. Her efforts, including being involved in garage and cookie sales, resulted in the organization giving many scholarships to young women attending college. Teri has authored countless newspaper articles about HLDW and written the monthly newsletter for five years. She designed the 2021 Highland Lakes Texas Exes Chapter calendar, which helped raise scholarship funds.

When I was asked to organize the COVID testing station at HSB's fire station during the pandemic in mid-2020 through early 2021, Teri was the first on my list to call. She faithfully volunteered to help, even though doing so placed her in harm's way. Since we were diligent in gowning, masking, and washing our hands, none of our volunteers contracted COVID.

When I camped out at a friend's place many miles from HSB while recovering from an injury and could not walk, Teri took the time and effort to visit me several times. Her kindness meant everything at a low point in my life. Teri is now gravely ill. I and her many friends and family hope she is comforted by our love and support.

The contributions Teri has made to the HSB community and its residents over the years are too numerous to list. Suffice it to say that she has not only enriched my life, but she has also made a difference in countless others' lives. Teri has never sought recognition. She gives back because she knows that’s why we’re here on this earth.

P.S. Teri passed a week after this was published. She is sorely missed.