Terry Lee Vietz

Longtime Colfax barber, Terry Lee Vietz, passed away Saturday, Feb. 5th, at home with his loving wife by his side after a brief but hard-fought battle with cancer. He was 71. A Memorial Service is planned for Saturday, Feb. 19th, at 1:00 p.m. in the Community Pavilion at the Palouse Empire Fairgrounds. Final resting place will be at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery at Medical Lake.

Terry was born July 4, 1950, in Walla Walla, Wash., and raised in Newport, Wash., by his parents Harold and Josephine Gamble Vietz. He graduated from high school in Newport. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and completed boot camp in July of 1969. Terry received his basic training in Fort Ord, Calif., and served as a medic in the Army. He was honorably discharged and returned home to Newport in 1974. He worked as a logger in Priest River, Idaho for a time before he decided to go to barber school in 1981.

Following his formal training as a barber he opened a shop in Pullman briefly before moving his barbershop to Colfax along Wall Street. Many customers have sat in his chair over the years and told and re-told stories to any and all who happened to be in there. Terry's barbershop was a gathering place where friends would meet and catch up. Terry considered himself an "old-fashioned" barber and wore the vest and used a straight razor. His client list was a "who's who" of Whitman County residents and spanned in some cases multiple generations of patrons.

In his spare time Terry liked to fashion things with metal or do welding work. Terry was building a speeder rail car that he looked forward to taking out on the tracks one day. He forged custom knives and sharpened knives. He liked working around his home in Diamond. He enjoyed gardening and working in his yard. Terry also loved to cook. His favorite thing to do was to visit with his customers.

He and Jacqueline Mitzimberg had been constant companions for many years when they finally decided to get married on August 3, 2019. She survived him at their home in Diamond. He is also survived by his children and step-children: Sam and Nichole Vietz of Colfax, Julie Tucker in Texas, Allison and Terry Russell of Colfax, Jaime Carpenter in Arizona, and Candice and Johnny Lerma living in New Mexico; by his grandchildren, Joe and Cody Vietz, Amanda Bourgeois, Mercedes and Morgan Russell, Zach Shisel and Alana Shisel, and Jasmyn Lee and Branden Quintero; Terry has one great-grandchild, William Shisel; he also leaves behind his twin-sister, Cheri Kuprienko. He was preceded in death by his parents.

On-line guest book is at http://www.bruningfuneralhome.com.

Corbeill Funeral Home of Colfax is caring for the family.

A Go Fund Me Page has been set up for "Terry the Barber" Please assist the family with anything possible. Thank You.

http://www.gofundme.com/f/uez9cy-funeral-expenses-for-terry-the-colfax-barber