Terrence Michael Dahmen, 80, passed away Friday, May 26, 2023, with family by his side after a long battle with mantle cell lymphoma. Terry was born Oct. 10, 1942, in Moscow to Helen (Tate) and Harold Dahmen.
A lifetime resident of Moscow, he went to St. Mary’s School, became an Eagle Scout, and graduated from Moscow High School, continuing on to the University of Idaho graduating with a business degree. He was a member and board member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and was accepted into the law school. However instead of pursuing law, he made the decision to join the Army National Guard of Idaho, then transferred to the Air National Guard of Oregon, Idaho and Washington (with a total of six honorable discharges). This subsequently redirected his career path to later join his dad running Dahmen Insurance as he learned the business as an insurance underwriter in Eugene, Boise and Seattle while in each National Guard service. During his time at Safeco Insurance in Seattle, he met Donna Reed and soon they married (divorced some 40 years later), moved back to Moscow joining his dad in the insurance agency, and started a family. Terry took over the business upon his dad’s retirement and ran it until he retired in 2007.
Full of ambition, Terry purchased land atop Paradise Ridge to build a house, which became full of lifelong projects. Never one to hire things done if he could do it, he was always outside tinkering on vehicles, engineering something to work on, repairing everything and anything, and playing on tractors. He could think of nowhere better than living in such a beautiful peaceful place with a view over the Palouse. He enjoyed having a huge garden, roaming the property, and camping and hunting in the area. As a spiritual and religious person, he prayed to the Lord each day, imparted work ethic in all he did, and lived an honest life with determination, grit and integrity. If you had a question or not, he sure knew how to tell you the right way of doing things as he was always trying to teach you something.
Terry was in his element at the family lake cabin on Coeur d’Alene Lake spending countless days of fishing, campfires and fireworks, swimming and taking the family boating, skiing and tubing, then fixing everything that needed fixed. With all the family there, he enjoyed that time the most – and beer batter pancakes were his specialty. He loved boats, had one of his first jobs at a boat shop, and owned a mini hydroplane, a drag boat (fastest on the lake back in the 70’s), fishing boats, a jet boat and a Hobie Cat sail boat. His favorite car was an RT-Dodge that he raced and pulled the drag boat with, though the recognizable family Suburban’s he had over the last 45 years were ‘durable and easy to work on’ without computers to break down which he couldn’t fix.
Well known in the community, Terry was a lifetime member of the Elks Club and belonged to the Moose and Eagles Clubs, was a member of St. Mary’s Church, and frequently stopped by local businesses for coffee, have a chat, and gave many words of advice. In a small town with big families who settled the area, he always tried to find out who’s who and if we’re related. Those who knew him knew he marched to his own tune, had his own ideas about things, and was stubborn and independent.
Terry leaves behind son Greg Dahmen (Dorthy), daughters Laurie Dahmen (Keith Stoffel) and Angela Meliza (Dan), grandchildren Peyton, Nick, Isaac and Trenton, stepgrandchildren Anna, Nathan, Jacob and Sarah, ex-wife Donna, new and life-long friends, and his many relatives. A special thank you to his kind friends and neighbors helping him out over the last years. He was preceded in death by his parents and the many relatives whom he always spoke about.
In lieu of cards and flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society for mantle cell lymphoma research.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, June 1, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 618 E. First St., Moscow. A reception will follow at the St. Mary’s Family Center and graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. at the Moscow Cemetery.
Short’s Funeral Chapel of Moscow is in charge of arrangements and condolences may be left at shortsfuneralchapel.com.
