Terry Franich

Terry Dale Franich, 69, of American Fork, Utah, passed away peacefully on December 7, 2025, during a day-and-a-half stay in the hospital. He was surrounded by his brothers Richard and Gregory and by the loving staff of the Utah State Developmental Center, USDC. He succumbed to liver cancer. He was deeply loved and will be dearly missed.

An American Fork, Utah, viewing and visitation will be held on the USDC campus on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 9:00-11:00 a.m. After the ground thaws in the spring, services will be held in Iowa before Terry is buried next to his mother in Davenport, Iowa.

He was born on March 8, 1956, to Frank Levern "Chummy" and Joy Dean "Jodie" (Taylor) Franich, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At age 4, he moved with his family to Las Cruces, NM. At age 17, he moved with his father and his family to Utah. Shortly thereafter, he became a resident of the USDC, where he lived for 52 years.

Terry was a sweet mentally and medically challenged man with the mind of a highly experienced three-and-a-half-year old. Afterall, he had 66 years after his third birthday to master being a 3-year-old. He had epilepsy with stretches of almost daily grand mal seizures and near daily petit mal seizures. Well into his 50's, Terry was an energetic, strong, 6'3" tall man with an athletic build and a quick smile. Only his advancing age slowed him down. He had only slight movements that indicated he was mentally challenged. But, to his family and caregivers, he was a typical three-year old who needed minor assistance with selecting and putting on his clothing, bathing, shaving, toileting, and eating slow enough to chew his food thoroughly. He was so proud when he learned to tie his own shoes in his 30's.

Terry was a loving and loveable, friendly, cheerful, fun-loving, loyal, and sometimes mischievous man. He possessed an endearing childlike wonder and joy. He was eager to resolve any conflict quickly by apologizing for his role and asking if the offended party was still his friend. From his childhood, Terry enjoyed attending Christian worship services and was very reverent in church. Unfortunately, in his 50's, Terry he developed the inappropriate desire to celebrate his birthday every week during the birthday announcements in the church services and had to stop attending services. But, he remained quick to say he loved Jesus when anyone talked about Him.

Terry was a tidy person with a strong work ethic and perfectionistic tendencies. His work for the handicapped in the American Fork community was a valuable and purposeful part of his life. Growing up and later on during home visits with his family, Terry loved going to work on construction sites with his daddy and his brothers. He enjoyed helping his family and his USDC extended family with household chores or yard work. His father was his primary caregiver growing up. He went to work daily with his father as a child until he was about 10 years old before he began life in New Mexico institutions for handicapped people. Terry definitely was a rule follower and wanted everyone around him to follow the rules, too. His family and the USDC staff appreciated Terry cautioning the younger kids in the family and, later, his apartment mates to follow the rules, too, or he would tell on them.

Terry was fanatical about wearing watches, listening to music on transistor radios, having a few dollars in his wallet, playing with flashlights, putting puzzles together, and playing with toy construction vehicles or watching real life ones in action (like dump or cement trucks). It made his day to see a cement or dump truck driving down the road or at a construction site.

Terry loved animals, especially dogs that would fetch balls he'd throw. Terry grew up horseback riding, camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, and bicycle riding. He was able to continue enjoying these activities his whole life during home visits with his family and during the broad range of activities held at the USDC. He won several metals in Special Olympics meets.

Terry adored his family, especially his daddy plus his brother, Richard, and sister-in-law, Debbie, who visited him from their home in Wyoming more than his other family members who lived much further away. He enjoyed his home visits with his other family members, too. He loved being an uncle and affectionately claimed every new baby in the family as "his baby." His family all consider themselves to be blessed beyond measure to have Terry in their family and to be better people because of his influence in their lives.

His family is deeply grateful for the loving, dedicated staff at the USDC who attentively provided daily medical, social, and physical care for Terry. They became his beloved extended family, most especially Natalie Henderson plus Ashley Dalton and the other staff at Raintree 5. His speech and vocabulary improved remarkably throughout his adult years due to the expertise and diligence of the USDC staff. They all maintained an admirably high and comfortable standard of living for Terry.

Terry is survived by: his brothers, Richard Dean Franich (Debra), Rock Springs, WY, and Gregory Olin Franich (Erin), Bettendorf, IA; sister Karen LaVerne Franich (f.k.a. Moore and Beachler), Moline, IL; sisters-in-law, Maytiya Kerr (f.k.a. Hall) (Gabriel), Colville, WA, and Monica Enriquez, Cedar Park, TX; 17 nephews and nieces, and many great-nephews and great-nieces.

He was preceded in death by: his father, Stinnett, TX; mother, Davenport, Iowa; step-mother, Quilla Dean Franich, Stinnett, TX; adopted sister, Tami Lynn (f.k.a. Hall and Franich) Enriquez, Austin, TX; step-brother, Terry Wayne Hall, Colville, WA; brother-in-law, Joe Padilla Enriquez, Cedar Park, TX; and nephew, Michael Thomas "Mike" Beachler, East Moline and Sherrard, IL.