Teresa Sales

PUEBLO — Former Alamosa resident and Valley Courier editor Teresa Sales, 85, died on Aug. 28, 2019, at her home in Pueblo after a hard-fought battle with cancer.

Teresa Arlene Pointer was born on May 11, 1934, in Sheridan, Wyoming, to Leslie O. and Freda Pointer. She had happy memories of childhood fishing trips with her dad, hunting for the “lost gold mine” in the hills around Sheridan, watching wholesome Saturday afternoon matinees at the local theater for a dime, playing paper dolls and jacks with friends, going to Sabbath School with her grandmother and spending summers working with good friend JoAnn at the Boyd Ranch in Montana.

Teresa graduated valedictorian of her class at Sheridan High School.

In August 1952 she married Donald Sales. They celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary a few days before her death.

Teresa and Pastor Sales served in the ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in numerous locations including South Dakota, Iowa, Oklahoma and several areas in Colorado including Nucla, Craig, Lamar and the San Luis Valley. After retiring from full-time ministry, the couple served interim assignments in Colorado and Wyoming.

Teresa worked at various jobs throughout the years, primarily as a journalist. She was a writer and editor for newspapers in the towns where she lived including Alamosa and Monte Vista. She received numerous Colorado Press Association awards for her journalistic work. Several of her freelance articles and devotionals were also published in Christian magazines and books. 

Teresa also fulfilled a life-long dream to teach, and she was instrumental in the education of young people in church schools in Paonia and Pueblo following her retirement from journalism. She had a love for children, and it was her biggest desire to help prepare them for lives of significance on earth and for eternity.

In her varied employment over the years she also worked for a telephone company, a corporation involved in the early development of the space industry, police department, real estate office, extension service office, Alamosa High School athletics department and Census Bureau.

Teresa was an accomplished pianist who inherited her lifelong love of music from her father who at one time played banjo and drums for a Wyoming dance band. Teresa played for church and enjoyed accompanying community musical performances. Teresa also enjoyed reading, collecting nativities (with a collection of more than 200), cooking, gardening and photography and felt blessed to capture on film special trips to New England, the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Europe and for their 60th anniversary, Ireland, the home of some of her ancestors.

Teresa was known for her encouragement of others, especially in drawing them closer to her Savior, and would often send dozens of cards out every week including several just days before her death.

Teresa is survived by her husband Don Sales of Pueblo; son Mark Sales of Pueblo; daughters Beth (Kevin) Wilkins of Denver, Ruth Heide of Alamosa and Kristi (Tom) Gardner of Littleton; brother Larry (Dotti) Pointer of Billings, Montana; and numerous friends.

A Celebration of Life Service is planned for 1 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019, at the Canon City Seventh-day Adventist Church, 3180 East Main, Canon City, Colo., with a time to share remembrances, followed by light refreshments.

Memorial contributions may be made in Teresa’s memory to a ministry rescuing and rehabilitating girls from the streets: People of Peru Project, 1703 Sunset Drive, Walla Walla, Washington 99362; www.peopleofperu.org

Cards of condolences may be sent to the family at 3705 Azalea St., Pueblo Colo. 81005.