Terradan Sagewynd

09/09/1953-09/24/2011
Terradan Landchild Sagewynd passed away on September 24, 2011 in Bellingham, Washington, after a two-year journey with pancreatic cancer. His enthusiasm for the beautiful natural world was never dimmed and he tried his best to enjoy it and his family during this time, as illness allowed, even making a last adventure to Yellowstone Park after Labor Day with his family’s help. Words cannot express how dearly he is loved and how tremendously he is missed.
Born Terry Lee Childress on September 9, 1953 to Bert and Myrna (Jenison) Childress, he grew up in Vancouver, Washington, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Washington while supporting his first wife and daughter. He designed and built his first home in Clark County, WA for his children.
Terradan met his beloved soulmate, Maryse (Miller), at a Sierra Club meeting in 1992. They immediately hit it off with their shared interests in environmentalism, maps, outdoor adventures, gardening and music. Avid hikers, they married above Wahkeena Falls in Columbia River Gorge in August 1994.
A natural teacher, geologist, mapmaker, carpenter and musician, Terradan (meaning “Earth Brother”), was also passionate about the environment and organic, sustainable farming/permaculture. When Terradan and Maryse moved to Whatcom County near Birch Bay to create a medicinal herb farm, Terradan cleared a homesite from raw land, mostly by hand, and, with Maryse’s help, designed and hand-built their low-energy-consumption home, replanted & rehabilitated their woods, and improved their fields to grow herbs.
Terradan was a Scouter his whole life; he earned Eagle Scout rank and continued through adulthood as Scout Master and engaged in various administrative and leader training efforts. Terradan’s love of nature and maps led him to become a devoted teacher and leader of Orienteering. The Columbia River Orienteering Club owes a large part of its development to his efforts, and he served as orienteering commissioner for the 1998 NIKE World Masters Games in Portland, Oregon and Goldendale, WA. Volunteering, especially for youth, was important to him.
In recent years Terradan taught at the Ferndale and Blaine High Schools and Wellspring Academy of Arts and Sciences, with science as his favorite subject. So many students remember him as someone who cared deeply about their welfare, as he was truly delighted to know them and help them succeed. He was deeply touched when his classes made get-well posters for him while in hospital and students kept in contact with him.
Terradan was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Barry Childress. He is survived by his wife, Maryse; daughter Iris (Matt) Penfield; son Travis (Angela) Landchild; daughter Melinda (Ben) Kuhner; grandchildren Blake, Asher and Athena; brother Jim Childress; parents-in-law Maurice and Marianne Miller and sister-in-law Jan (Terry) Anderson and her children.
A Celebration of Terradan’s life will be held on Saturday, October 22nd at 11:00 am at Westford’s Broadway Hall at 1300 Broadway, Bellingham, Washington, and he would welcome your presence.
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