IRIS M. TEETER, 83,

passed away peacefully on Feb. 5, 2008, at Casa de la Luz Hospice in Tucson after suffering a stroke.

Iris was born in Belding, Mich. on Aug. 3, 1924, and was preceded in death by her parents Ernest H. and Blanche B. (Coe) Eggleston; brother Max Eggleston; half-brother Ernest Eggleston; and her husband Kenneth H. Teeter.

She is survived by four children, Merrie Lynn Smith of Pea Ridge, Ark., Bonnie Lee Sharpe of Kingman, Ariz., Terry Roger Smith of Sierra Vista, and Laurie Ann (LTC David) Green of Edgewood, N.M.; two step-children, Wayne (Jill) Teeter of Higgins Lake, Mich. and Carolyn (Fred) Board of Scottsdale; three grandchildren, Amanda Smith LoVecchio of Kingman, Tyler Sharpe of Higgins Lake, and Andrew Sharpe of Kingman; four step-grandchildren, Randall Teeter of New York, N.Y., Dale Teeter of Germany, Neil (Keri) Board of Scottsdale and Christine Board of Scottsdale; five great-grandchildren and one step-great-grandchild.

Iris was raised in Lansing. Mich. where she graduated from Eastern High School. In 1940, she married Morley W. Smith of Cadillac, Mich. who served in the U.S. Army in Europe in WWII. She divorced in 1962 and remarried, residing at Higgins Lake until 1978 with her spouse, Kenneth H. Teeter, who invented and patented the Porto-Lift patient lift and established the company based at Higgins Lake.

Iris helped found a local satellite library and Friends of the Library, was past chair of the Public Library Advisory Committee, past chair, state officer and historian of the Michigan Area 16 Association of Extension Homemakers, chair of the Gerrish-Higgins School District Public School Committee, member of the Roscommon Chamber Music Society, Michigan Women for Highway Safety, and the Order of the Eastern Star.

She enjoyed entertaining, painting, crafts, gardening, reading and collecting hummingbirds. Iris traveled throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia and the South Pacific. After retirement, the couple moved to Pueblo Estates in Green Valley where they resided for 21 years. Iris was active in TOPS and other local groups. Ken passed away on Feb. 23, 1999 and she moved to Tucson in 2003.

Iris requested no funeral or memorial services. Her ashes will be scattered over the Santa Rita Mountains near Green Valley.

The family requests donations be made to Casa de la Luz Foundation, 400 West Magee Road, Tucson, AZ 85704 or the American Cancer Society.