Teri Lynn (Quintenz) Stout

Teri Lynn (Quintenz) Stout, 54, was born on April 24, 1971, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Decatur, Illinois, to Rolf and Martha Quintenz, and passed away on June 10, 2025, at Mercy One Hospital.

A memorial gathering will be held on Thursday, June 19th from 4 to 7 pm at the Merle Hay Funeral Home Chapel. The celebration of life will be on Friday at 10:30 am in the chapel. Inurnment will be in the Chapel Hill Gardens. The celebration of life will be lived streamed, please go here to view: https://player.vimeo.com/video/1093186757 following the live stream the link will remain active as a recording.

Teri’s journey through life was marked by dedication to her family, to her work, and to the people who are lucky enough to be part of her world. When Teri married Mike in 2013, their union was more than a marriage, it was the beautiful blending of two families. Through that love, six children became hers to nurture, guide, and embrace. And with six grandchildren to love and spoil, which Teri found as one of her greatest sources of joy.

In her younger years, Teri found fulfillment in the financial world, working as a teller where she truly shined. She wasn’t just good at her job, she loved it. Anyone who walked up to her window wasn’t just a customer, but a person she treated with warmth and respect. But as much as she valued that career, her heart was drawn even more strongly to caregiving.

That calling led her to open her own daycare in 2003, a space where she could nurture and shape young lives with the same passion and attentiveness she gave her own children. Her home was filled with laughter, learning, and the unmistakable warmth of someone who truly loved what she did. That daycare ran for eight wonderful years, and Teri's care became a cherished part of many families' lives.

Even after stepping away from her daycare, Teri was not done giving. In 2012, she ventured into the hospitality industry, working as a housekeeper, a role she took on with pride and purpose until she retired in 2016.

But Teri’s legacy is not only in what she did. It's in who she was.

Teri was a woman of deep conviction, strong-willed, determined, and never afraid to speak her truth. She stood her ground not out of stubbornness, but because she believed in what was right. Her voice was one of confidence and clarity, and she used it unapologetically. To know Teri was to know her boldness, her sass, her spark, and her unshakable spirit. She brought that same fiery energy into everything she did, whether she was cheering on her beloved Cubs with a spirited “Go Cubs, Go!!,” or going all in at the kitchen table during a game of poker or a family board game. Teri’s fierce love extended beyond people, she had a tender heart for animals, and her compassion for every living being was simply part of who she was.

Teri had a presence that could fill a room not just with her voice or her laughter, but with her love. That love was never passive; it was active, it was felt, and it left an imprint. She gave love with intention and never let you forget where you stood with her good or bad.

Teri is survived by her loving husband, Michael Stout, children, Cody (Judith) Brummet, Haley (Jesse) Muniz, Kyle (Ashley) Brummet, David Stout, Jaxson (Katelynn) Stout, and Dawson Stout, grandchildren, Quenten, Anthony, Gwyneth, Wyatt, Waylon, and Laela, parents, Rolf “Butch” Quintenz and Martha (Hunt) Quintenz, sister, Kari (Quintenz) Johnson, parent in-laws, Mike Stout and Mary (Fisher) Stout, brother-in-law, Marty (Helen) Stout, many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Teri was preceded in death by a brother-in-law, Christopher Johnson.

As we gather to honor Teri, we remember the strength she gave us, the passion she lived with, the laughter that echoed through our lives, and the smile that lit up every room she entered. She leaves behind a legacy of love, carried on in her children, her grandchildren, and in the many lives she touched. Teri's spirit endures in every memory, in every lesson, in every act of kindness we pass on in her name. Today, we don’t just mourn. We remember. We celebrate. We give thanks for the gift of having Teri in our lives. Thank you, Teri, for everything. The love we have for you will never fade. You will be deeply missed. This is not goodbye, this is simply our way of saying, we will see you later.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be directed to Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Inc.