Terry Chase Obituary

Chase, Terry Lee

Terry Lee Chase, Director of Chase Studio in Cedarcreek, Missouri, died February 25 after a long battle with cancer. The exhibition division of his non-profit creates natural history exhibits and dioramas for museums worldwide. Terry was born December 10, 1947 in Springfield, Ohio, to Roger Chase and Mary (Rayburn) Chase who preceded him in death. He is survived by his sister Deborah Powell (Richard Needham). Chase's career combined his gift of art and depth of scientific knowledge. He graduated from high school in Jeffersonville, Indiana, received his B.S. degree from Wittenberg University; his M.S. degree and post graduate work from University of Michigan; and was awarded an honorary doctorate from Wittenberg for his distinguished contributions to science. Terry served in the National Guard, taught art at Springfield Art Center and South High, was a Shinner Scholar at the Field Museum in Chicago, and served as curator of exhibits for university natural history museums before starting his own business. His work has been celebrated in numerous newspaper and magazine articles and the CBS Sunday Morning show. Millions of people worldwide have learned from his exhibits, and Terry's impact will last for generations. His clients said Terry set the standard in producing superior exhibits to educate the public. Memorial contributions may be made to the Missouri State University Foundation-Terry Chase Memorial Scholarship, 300 S. Jefferson, Suite 505, Springfield, MO 65806.

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Published by Springfield News Sun on Mar. 10, 2024.

Memories and Condolences
for Terry Chase

4 Entries

George Clay McIntosh

March 29, 2024

George Clay McIntosh

Terry was an artist, author, architect, builder, exhibit designer, teacher, preservationist, paleontologist, geologist, well-informed naturalist, collector, and incredibly caring human being. I deeply appreciate that we were able to share more than 50 years of friendship and all too brief time together in the field and museums.

I first met Terry in the fall of 1969 at the University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology. On first meeting, I was surprised that he knew about the Marchand family that created Paleozoic Seas dioramas, one of the factors that had inspired me to become a paleontologist. More to the point, Terry had chosen the University of Michigan specifically because George Marchand lived near Ann Arbor. Later, he followed George Marchand to Missouri and chose to live in Cedar Creek. In the process, he carefully preserved many of the original Marchand model casts dating from the early 1940´s and, ultimately, created an incredible studio and campus.

I was fortunate enough to spend some time with him in the early 1970´s while he was creating the Permian reef diorama in Midland, Texas; easily the most detailed and grand Paleozoic Seas dioramas ever created. Over the years we worked on the Rochester Museum & Science Center´s exhibit galleries, preserving and updating the Marchand dioramas, and culminating in the early 2000´s with a complete renovation of the museum´s first floor.

Terry´s longstanding interest in Devonian invertebrate paleontology led to our sharing time together on numerous productive field trips ranging from southern Indiana to western New York, Morocco, and the Northwest Territories. Typical of Terry, he was both surprised and happy when I recently thanked him for all I learned from him while in the field. I will always remember that last laugh.

Our time together in museum was equally enjoyable and productive. Terry´s expertise extended to both the public galleries and behind-the-scenes collection storage areas in museums. On a visit to the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard), Terry informed me, while looking at the type specimens in collections storage area, that he really wanted to update and publish on the Falls of the Ohio Devonian coral fauna. He just needed a little more time.

Fifty years was not nearly enough time. Terry accomplished an incredible amount in his 76 years but easily could have needed another century to fulfill all the projects his creative mind constantly dreamed of doing.

As said by others, Terry was a wonderful colleague and treasured friend. I doubt that there will be a day that I don´t think of him. I also extend my condolences to his family, all the Chase Studios staff, and his many friends that will miss him.

Deborah Kay

March 13, 2024

I met Terry in the late 1990s when Chase Studio was hired to create exhibits for the new building and reopening of the Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. At the time we were training our first exhibit docents to be ready when the museum opened to the public. Terry was generous with his time and often led our "trainees" through the exhibits as so they could see them go from design to reality. He agreed to be our keynote speaker for the new museum's first annual volunteer dinner.

During these years, we became friends and years later worked closely on the museum's paleontology exhibits. As the exhibit developer for those exhibits, I was fortunate to experience the challenges and the joys of the intense creative work that goes into making such exhibits. As he was both scientist and artist, Terry could work closely with our curators to create exhibits that showcase our state's unique paleontological record in a way that was a stunning visual experience and also dynamic and fun. One of the best things about working with Chase Studio was the immensely talented staff Terry gathered around him; working with them was a privilege.

I'm sure our experiences working with Terry were repeated countless times with the many museum exhibits he created all over the world. He was very aware of the history of exhibition and made his own immense contribution. Anyone who has spent time in the Studio workshops and with his staff know the artistry and detail with which each exhibit piece was made.

I spoke with Terry not that long ago, and I was sure we would be able to visit again. My thoughts are with his family and his staff and with all those who are feeling this loss. He contributed so much to public education. He enriched the lives of those he worked with over all these years. I am so fortunate to have had Terry as a wonderful colleague and especially as a treasured friend. This is a such a loss for all of us.

Michael A. Mares

March 13, 2024

I was director of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History for 30 years and hired Terry and his firm to design and build some of our major exhibits in the new building. I found Terry to be a highly intelligent, informed, and hard working person who was extremely knowledgable of all things natural history and geology and knew exactly how to build the exhibits that we needed. He had the experience to guide us in moving toward exhibits that far exceeded our initial ideas and were friendly to visitors of all ages. The work/art that Terry did for the museum has been seen and enjoyed by more than three million visitors to the museum and by millions more online. I have never heard anything but praise for the exhibits Terry developed and built and installed. He was a wonderful person and I am glad I got to know him. The museum's Hall of Natural Wonders, Black Mesa, Cave, and Prairie exhibits were all developed by Terry.

I extend my condolences to Terry's family and his crew. I will miss him.

https://samnoblemuseum.ou.edu/permanent-exhibits/

Connie Bodner

March 8, 2024

I had the privilege of knowing and admiring Terry for three decades, but it was not long enough. Our paths crossed within the museum world and through mutual friends, and somehow whether the interval between visits was short or long, it was always possible to pick up where we had left off, as if we had spoken just yesterday. Whether the visit was at a conference, Chase Studio, my house, or out and about, it was always fun. Terry was a tremendous storyteller, and I will always treasure hearing about his fieldwork adventures (which bordered on escapades), his amazing exhibit projects, his never-ending quest for perfection, and seeing first-hand his success in achieving it. Terry had the very rare combination of unmatched artistic talent connected to deep knowledge of the natural world. Yet, he always used "we," not "I," and "us," not "me" in describing the studio´s work. He deeply respected the talents and work of his staff and clearly delighted in teaching others what he knew.

The teaching extended to the public, of course. He had a genuine and long-lasting impact on how people relate to and understand the natural world, and I honestly can think of nothing that is more important in these days and times. Whenever I visit a natural history museum or visitor center, I look for Terry´s models, dioramas, and murals. They are easy to identify for their beauty, precision, accuracy, and transforming effect. The written word gives us important and interesting information, but Terry´s exhibits make the natural world accessible and show us things we couldn´t possibly imagine on our own.

I am so very thankful for having been able to experience Terry´s friendship, stories, kindness, and wry sense of humor, and I mourn his loss deeply. I extend my sympathies to Dr. Powell and the rest of his family, and to the Chase Studio staff, who will miss him beyond description.

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