Teresa Horton

Nov 24, 1957 -

Mar 30, 2020

Longtime Alaska resident Teresa Horton, 62, passed away on March 30, 2020, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, Alaska.

Born Nov. 24, 1957, she was the daughter of the late Richard Carl Schaffer and Leona Mae (Maxwell) Schaffer.

Teresa moved to Alaska with her parents and five siblings in 1965. They moved back and forth between Alaska and Arkansas a few times during her childhood. She returned for good in 1984 with her three children.

From June 1987 to December 1988, she volunteered as Host at Eklutna Lake Campground. Teresa's children wrote: "Some of our favorite memories are of times spent there with her. Eklutna Lake continues to feel like home and is now a place we take our children to share our favorite part of Alaska with them."

She loved to be outdoors, gardening, camping, sitting around a fire with family and friends. Her family wrote, "She was always there to help everyone she knew; her kind heart inspires each of us." Her granddaughter Karie shared: "We loved hearing Grammy laugh. I loved how she always sang and danced with us, it was infectious, and one of my favorite things about her. We will cherish how she always made time for us. She brought us all so much joy and laughter, she will be incredibly missed."

Teresa is survived by her boyfriend of 19 years, Dave Smoot of Palmer, Alaska; daughter, Angela Thomas, her husband Earl and their children Karie and Matthew; son, Ronnie Rogers and his daughter Kailena and son Travis Rogers, his wife Mara and sons Distance and Wesley.

A celebration of life will be held at Eklutna Lake Campground later this summer when family members are permitted to travel.

Arrangements were made with Wasilla Heritage Chapel.