Teresa Marie Freeman

Teresa Marie Freeman was born in Ft. Worth, Texas on October 29, 1960, to Claude Taylor and Terry Lueder. She later was adopted by Jack Knight Sr. and became the second oldest of five children. Growing up, Teresa was always pushing boundaries and finding trouble. She attended Fairfield High School and graduated in 1978. After graduation, she lived in California, Arizona, and Texas before coming back to Montana. She gave birth to her son, Frank Swenson in 1980. She made the hardest choice to put him up for adoption in hopes that he could have a better life. Frank and Teresa reconnected in 1998 and have stayed connected ever since by writing and calling. When Frank would visit her, they spent days talking, laughing, and making memories.

In 2000, Teresa married Lynn Freeman in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They owned the Silver Dollar Bar in Fairfield from 2000-2011. The bar was Teresa's pride and joy. She loved the people she met there and cherished the friends she made. She continued to make drinks and friends until her final days. She also helped Lynn on the farm with the cattle. The outdoors always brought her happiness, whether she was chasing cows in her fancy boots or getting her hands dirty in the garden. When Lynn passed away in 2011, Teresa had a big piece missing in her life. That missing piece was filled in 2015 when she met Jason Feeler.

Teresa always said it was Jason who saved her, but we would argue it was her who saved him. Without being asked she took in Jason's youngest child, Tyler, in 2015. She told him to pack his bags because he was moving in with her to finish high school in Great Falls. When Jason's middle child, Dalton, broke his leg in 2016, Teresa took him in and took care of him even though she was recovering from major back surgery. In 2018, Jason's oldest child, Diamond, called saying she was on her way from Washington. With another recent back surgery, Teresa laid in the back seat of the truck, and they were off to bring Diamond home. She had multiple surgeries throughout the years but was too stubborn to let anyone take care of her. Even in pain, Teresa would go fishing and camping most weekends. Her favorite place to go was Tiber Dam. There, she and Jason would fish, boat and look for crystals in the sand. On May 30, 2021, Jason proposed to Teresa in front of family at Tiber. She said yes but made him wait until May 31, 2023, to get married.

In June 2023, Teresa was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. While in the hospital she was always surrounded by loved ones. Her grandson, Killian, would sing her songs and snuggle with her. When she was discharged home, she kept planning family events and disciplining the adult kids when necessary. Even with cancer she still did her best to make tough decisions that would later benefit the family. She was surrounded by loved ones when she passed away on June 30, 2023.

She is survived by her husband, Jason Feeler of Fairfield; her children, Frank Swenson (Ann-Helen) of Norway, Diamond Feeler (Adam McKinlay) of Great Falls, Dalton (Brooklynn) Feeler of Fairfield, Tyler Feeler of Vaughn; grandkids, Alicia Castellanos, Killian Castellanos, Emily McKinlay, Chase McKinlay, Bella McKinlay, Theodore Etzwiler; siblings, John Taylor of Fairfield, Jack Knight, Jr. (Theresa) of Fairfield, Tammy (Tommy) Comer of Fairfield; and multiple nieces and nephews.

Teresa was preceded in death by her parents, Terry Lueder, Claude Taylor, Jack Knight Sr; and brother, Frank "Bubba" Taylor.

Teresa selflessly donated her body to science with hopes she would be able to help someone else.