Terry Smith
Real Name: Terry Lynn Smith
Case: Lost Friend
Location: Orange, California
Date: 1980
Case[]
Details: Terry Smith was four years old when she came to live temporarily with the Timpane family of Orange, California. She stayed for six years, and, in every way, became a member of the family. On August 4, 1990, one of the Timpane children, twenty-four-year-old Shannon Timpane-Moser, was married in San Francisco, California, surrounded by all eight of her brothers and sisters. But one very important person – Terry – was not there to share the joy of that special day.
It seems that some families, no matter how large, have more than enough love to go around. The Timpane family has not seen Terry for more than a decade. And they feel that without her, their family will never be complete. They hope that someone can help bring Terry back to the ones who still love her as their own.
John and Gerry Timpane met in 1945. He was an intern specializing in obstetrics. She was a nurse. The two married in 1946. Between 1953 and 1965, they had nine children: six boys and three girls. Their household was boisterous and bustling. The entire family loved animals and enjoyed an active outdoor life.
In summer 1967, at the ranch where they boarded their two horses, John and Gerry came to know its manager, Herb Smith. He was divorced, and his daughter, Terry, and son, Mark, lived with him in a small trailer. But he felt that the ranch was no place for a young girl. He believed that Terry needed a real family.
Gerry says that when she first saw Terry, she thought she was rather forlorn. Gerry says that Terry was a little girl on a big ranch, and while she loved horses, there were no children for her to play with. Most of the other people there were cowboys. Gerry says she was drawn to Terry because she was so sweet and because Terry was so happy to come and talk to her.
Gerry decided to talk to John to see if it would be feasible for them to take in another child. She says they always had an extra bed in the house for somebody. Herb took Gerry up on her generous offer. In return, he insisted that John and Gerry allow him to take care of their horses free of charge. They promised him that they would bring Terry to visit him whenever he wanted.
In August 1967, Terry moved into the already overflowing Timpane home. Gerry says that, in the beginning, Terry was just a little girl that was staying with them. But as time went on, she became like a daughter to Gerry and John and a sister to the children. Gerry says that since Terry was included in everything the family did, she, therefore, became part of the family. All the children grew to love Terry. But for Shannon, the youngest, Terry’s arrival was a dream come true.
Shannon says that there was a succession of boys in the family, and she was the youngest girl. She was not able to hang out with her brothers because they did not want her to. She thinks that she and Terry were especially close because they were so close in age. She says that things seemed to happen to them at the same time. They both learned to swim around the same time. Terry taught Shannon how to ride. They even got chicken pox at the same time.
Gerry thinks that Terry loved and enjoyed being part of their family. Terry called the Timpane boys her brothers, and the girls her sisters. Years passed, and the temporary arrangement had, in effect, become permanent. None of the Timpane family members could remember life without Terry. She shared in all the family’s joys, and in all their sorrows.
On May 2, 1972, the Timpane family was scarred by tragedy. John succumbed to cancer at the age of forty-six. Gerry was forced to go back to work as a nurse. Because she had teenage children who could take care of the younger ones at night, she worked the graveyard shift. That way, she could be at home every afternoon when the children returned from school and every morning to see them off.
Gerry says it was tough, but there was nobody else to do it. She decided that she had to do it. That was going to be her future, and she had ten children to raise. So she did it. Shannon says that money became a very big concern for the family. Also, Gerry was not around as much since she had become the primary supporter in the family. Shannon says that was a big change since Gerry used to be there all the time.
Even though the Timpane family managed to cope, having one more mouth to feed became a problem. With a heavy heart, Gerry realized she would have to send Terry back to Herb. When Gerry told her children about it, they said no. They did not want her to send Terry back. She told them that it had to be done. She told them that she did not want to do it, but it was one of those things that “happens.” And she reminded them that Terry still had Herb, and that she was going to go with him.
In summer 1974, Herb came to take Terry home. She had lived with the Timpane family for more than six years. Shannon says that Terry was very sad and did not want to leave because they were her family and she had grown attached to them. Shannon says that, on the other hand, Terry was excited to go home and live with Herb again. Terry loved him “a great deal,” and when she went to visit him on the weekends, it was always a really special thing for her. She always came home with many stories about what they did and where they went.
Gerry says that if it were summertime, Terry would spend a week with them. She says Terry loved coming back. She loved swimming in their pool. She loved having her friends and family around her. Unfortunately, these visits started happening less frequently when Terry and Herb moved to a different part of the state. It was difficult to get her to the Timpane home.
In 1980, when Terry was sixteen, she surprised the Timpane family with one final visit. The reunion was bittersweet. Terry was no longer living with Herb. And though she had brought her boyfriend with her to meet the family, she seemed uneasy and uncertain about her future. Gerry says she felt that Terry was not as happy as she could be. Terry talked with them for a while, then her boyfriend said it was time to go, so they left. And that was the last time the family saw her.
Shannon did not realize that that would be the last time she would see Terry. She says if she had known that, she would have stopped her. There was no way she would have let her go. Shannon says it was very confusing. They were trying to get Terry to stay. They never asked her where she was going because they were trying so hard to get her to stay. They then lost touch.
Shannon says that she and her family have never forgotten Terry. She says they all have a special place in their hearts for Terry. They all had a special relationship with her and would not forget her. They want to make sure she is safe and secure. They miss her a lot and talk about her all the time. Shannon says that when they reminisce about the past, everything includes Terry.
Shannon has tried to search for Terry but has been stymied by “red tape.” She was last known to be living in Escondido, California. The Timpane family thinks she may be working with animals, probably horses. She has an older brother, Mark, and an older sister.
Extra Notes:
- This case first aired on the January 27, 1993 episode.
- Some sources spell her name as "Teri".
Shannon and Terry reunited
Results: Solved - On the night of the broadcast, Terry’s siblings were watching and called the telecenter. She now lives in Lake Elsinore, California, and is engaged to be married. On February 5, 1993, she and Shannon were reunited in Lake Elsinore after a thirteen-year separation. Shannon says, “She’s so much like she used to be.” They have since stayed in touch.
Sadly, on May 2, 1999, Gerry passed away at the age of seventy-two.
Links:
- Happy Ending - February 11, 1993
- Gerry’s Obituary