Terry Grenz

Terry Grenz, 79, of Bismarck passed away on December 3, 2025.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am, Thursday, December 11, at Church of the Cross, 1004 E Highland Acres Rd, Bismarck. Family will greet guests one hour prior to the service.

Terry was born October 12, 1946, in Chicago IL, the son of Lee Grenz and Mary Jane Quick Weinberg. He was raised by his grandparents Albert and Lydia Grenz on their farm, and he attended school at Temvick, ND, and Linton High School. He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1965-1969, stationed in Viet Nam. After his service, he moved to Chicago and started working in the photography business, starting as an assistant photographer and tool and die machinist, but quickly became a photography artist in his own right, as seen by the stunning nature photos that he took throughout his later life. He retired from Calumet Photos, both selling equipment and training professional photographers in the use of digital cameras and equipment.

Terry and Sally met and married in the Chicago area, and were very active socially and with their church. When they retired, they moved to Bismarck, seeking a slower pace, but Terry found much joy in his continuing love of the outdoors. He was an avid nature photographer of the wildlife that surrounded their south Bismarck home, loved hunting, trap shooting, and of course, was a more than slightly obsessed fisherman. Terry had a deep love for animals; big dogs were his companions for many years, including some Rhodesian Ridgebacks who were his babies. Terry also was the sound person for many years at Lutheran Church of the Cross, and was known for his dry sense of humor; he often “got the joke” long before anyone else, nodding with a twinkle in his eye and a quiet smile.

Terry is survived by his beloved wife, Sally Grenz of Bismarck; stepsiblings, Roberta Grenz, Paul (Sue) Grenz, Dorothy (Wally) Janusch; and many first cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father, Claud (known as Lee) Grenz; mother, Mary Jane Weinberg; stepbrothers, Ralph Grenz and Roger Stewert; and uncles and aunts, Frances Eugene and Eunice Grenz, Neil and Helen Grenz, Jim Marvin and Irene Grenz, Zeta Joy Staber, Ruby Ruth and Elmer Renskers, Cleo Delyghte and Jake Haid, and Vera May Parsons.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to a charity of your choice.