Warsaw High School Class of 1971 Remembers Teresa K. Jones

Established by the late Robert (Bob) and Bettye Jones in memory of their daughter, Teresa (Teri) , to award scholarships to students graduating from Warsaw Community Schools.

Teri was the only child of Bob and Bettye Jones. She was a Tigerette, involved in band, the ski club, senior play, speech competitions, and the environmental club during her high school years. Her friends remember her effervescent personality, her love of life, and her infectious laugh. She was a good friend with a great smile.

After high school, Teri went to Purdue University where she majored in radio, television, and film. She moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma and began working in sales for KOTV – Channel 6, a CBS affiliate.

In 1986, Teri’s life came to a tragic ending when she was shot in her home.

Steve Foster and George Clemens, classmates of Teri’s, attended her funeral and tried to comfort her parents, whom they cared for like family. They continued to spend time with the Jones’ for many years after Teri’s death.

In 1990, Bob Jones passed away and when Bettye established the Teresa K. Jones Scholarship at the Community Foundation. The scholarship is awarded annually to graduates from Warsaw Community High School. Teri’s classmates serve on the recommending scholarship committee.

Steve Foster shared, “Teri was an only child. Her mom and dad are both gone. This scholarship is a tangible remainder of her life.” And so, Teri’s classmates continue to meet each year to remember Teri and to select a student who they feel embodies what made Teri so special: her involvement, her kindness, and her joy of life.

Friends that contributed to this article via interviews and emails included: Steve Foster, Karen (Beigh) Foster, Dana (Duncan) Wyatt, Debbie (Marsh) Plummer and Anna (Stevens) Paulus.