In Loving Memory of
Terilyn Rector
of Billings, Montana
12/19/1970 – 05/02/2026
Terilyn was born on December 19, 1970 to Jack and Penny Rector. She was the 3rd child with two older brothers, Tracy and Brooks. They lived in Bigfork MT, until she graduated in 1989. She went to college (University of Montana) and moved to Billings later. She loved to work and worked at Wendy’s, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Red Robin, and Subway. She was a very loyal employee and worked 10 years at each store.
In 1996 while working for Pizza hut, she met her husband, Tom Day. She loved the dogs that she and Tom had through their lives together. She loved to take rides, crochet, and cook for her family. She always talked about her life in Bigfork and the friends that she kept from there. The following is from her dear friend Rachel from school.
Terilyn, oh Terilyn, such an amazing woman. She had met so many of us great friends in Kindergarten. Not many people can say they have had amazing friends for 50 years. Terilyn was lucky and yes, she was one who could honestly say that.
Terilyn had such a fiest to her and wouldn’t take crap from anyone. For her not being very big she held her own. Many of you have experienced that, I am sure. If you did her wrong, you knew it.
Many of us have great memories of Terilyn. Her weekend slumber parties at their house in Ferndale stands out. Penny (her Mother) would let Terilyn invite as many girls as she wanted. Some days there were about 8-10 of us, some days just 2. We always had such a great time giggling, playing out in the woods, and torturing her brothers, Brooks and Tracie. They teased us, as well. One memory of a large slumber party; we were all making up dance routines to songs of the 70’s-80’s from Olivia Newton John to Pat Benetar. Hit me with your best shot stands out in my mind. We all had the moves and all wanted to be solid gold dancers. I still remember some of those darn dance moves we did to this day. We all would ride bikes together as kids and there was never a dull moment.
Terilyn became the manager of many Bigfork High School sports teams. She loved sports and everyone on the teams took her under their wing and made sure she was always taken care of.
Terilyn was loved by all of her classmates from Bigfork.
And who could forget when Ray Moe went to the drive through and gave her heck. Terilyn in her fiesty voice would yell Raymond!!!! Then we would all break out in a belly roll of laughter.
When her first nephew, Brad. came along, she was so very excited and shared with us all how she was going to be an Aunt for the first time. She bragged and bragged about him, showing how much he truly meant to her.
Terilyn wasn’t dealt the greatest cards in life with her ongoing health issues, but she fought hard her whole way and with all her might. She was tiny but fierce in her battle. She was an amazing soul, who is loved by so many and will be deeply missed by her friends and family. She really loved her friendship with Missy for the last 30 years.
She is proceeded in death by her father Jack (1980), Mother Penny (2012,) and brother Tracy (2015). She is survived by her bother Brooks Rector (Billings), nephew Brad Rector (MN), two nieces Breanna and Brook Rector(IL), and finally her husband for 30 years, Tom Day (Billings).
