Danita Letts Terzian
1936 - 2026
Share Danita Letts Terzian's obituary with others.
Invite friends and family to read the obituary and add memories.
Stay updated
We'll notify you when service details or new memories are added.
You're now following this obituary
We'll email you when there are updates.
Please select what you would like included for printing:
Danita Faye Terzian was born on March 2, 1936 in Mason City, Grand Cooley Dam, Washington to Cecil Pefferle Letts and Gertrude Ethel West. She passed away peacefully at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California on February 13, 2026.
Danita was the 4th of 5 children. Her brothers and sisters were Betty, Jerry, Sidney, and Johnny.
Her mother was a talented hat maker, seamstress and cook. Her father was a miner; a ‘powder man’ (dynamite guy). The family moved 18 times throughout her childhood, but her mother made sure the kids went to church most Sundays.
While living in Manatou, S. Tacoma, Washington, Danita met her neighbors, Frank and Paul Hartt, christian brothers who never married, who owned their own dairy farm and were very involved in helping their community, and would read the bible to the children. Danita loved them and all that the farm had to offer…animals, raw cream, and land to run around in. As a teen, she would run the dairy farm when Frank and Paul were traveling. They knew she was special, possessing an undeniable spark.
Frank and Paul had heard of a christian college in Santa Barbara, CA called Westmont, and they paid for her to attend. An incredible opportunity where she studied singing and drama and met the love of her life…..George Terzian. She was drawn to his character and stability.
Danita and George married in 1958 at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, CA and began their life together residing in Altadena, CA. She graduated from USC with her teachers credential and was a teacher at Noyes Elementary School in Pasadena for 6 years before having her children, Todd and Melissa.
Her faith in Jesus Christ was endless, and she always went out of her way to be loving, kind, and generous to everyone around her. As a wife and mother, she was devoted to the home and to her husband and children as she affectionately tended to their needs. She gladly opened her home to host parties with friends, bible studies, Pasadena High School Young Life students, and George’s basketball teams where he was a decorated coach at PHS and PCC. She happily attended hundreds of George’s basketball games. When her children were older, she went back to teaching the 5th grade at Pasadena Christian School for another 6 years, where she was beloved by her students and the community there.
She adored her friends and was always game for adventures with them whether shopping, hiking, lunching, traveling, or hosting celebratory occasions. She was a loving aunt, sister, daughter, neighbor and grandma. She cherished her grandchildren, Jonny, Benjamin, and Jasmine, always creating a loving and fun environment with many adventures.
She and George taught Sunday School at Lake Avenue Church for many years and were faithful members of the Disciples class where they fostered forever friends, and served their community. Danita and George were married for 61 years… George passed away in 2019. Her faith in Jesus was unwavering and she showed Christ’s love to others by being joyful, loving, caring, kind, helpful, giving, and faithful. Her favorite places to travel were Huntington Beach, Bass Lake, The Redwoods, Arrowhead, Hawaii, The Grand Tetons, Bryce Canyon and Palm Springs. Danita loved beauty! Some of her favorite things…animals, children, music, gardening, hiking, roadtrips, cooking, tennis, decorating, swimming in oceans and lakes, books, listening, talking, and meeting new people. She was an endlessly kind and gracious woman of God, and will be deeply missed, but eternally celebrated for the full life of love and beauty she lived.
Celebration of Life Service
Thursday, March 26, 2026 ~ 11:30 AM
Lake Avenue Church ~ Chapel (Old Sancturary)
393 N. Lake Avenue ~Pasadena, CA 91101
Reception will follow ~ Hutchins Hall ~ Skyroom
Danita was the 4th of 5 children. Her brothers and sisters were Betty, Jerry, Sidney, and Johnny.
Her mother was a talented hat maker, seamstress and cook. Her father was a miner; a ‘powder man’ (dynamite guy). The family moved 18 times throughout her childhood, but her mother made sure the kids went to church most Sundays.
While living in Manatou, S. Tacoma, Washington, Danita met her neighbors, Frank and Paul Hartt, christian brothers who never married, who owned their own dairy farm and were very involved in helping their community, and would read the bible to the children. Danita loved them and all that the farm had to offer…animals, raw cream, and land to run around in. As a teen, she would run the dairy farm when Frank and Paul were traveling. They knew she was special, possessing an undeniable spark.
Frank and Paul had heard of a christian college in Santa Barbara, CA called Westmont, and they paid for her to attend. An incredible opportunity where she studied singing and drama and met the love of her life…..George Terzian. She was drawn to his character and stability.
Danita and George married in 1958 at Lake Avenue Church in Pasadena, CA and began their life together residing in Altadena, CA. She graduated from USC with her teachers credential and was a teacher at Noyes Elementary School in Pasadena for 6 years before having her children, Todd and Melissa.
Her faith in Jesus Christ was endless, and she always went out of her way to be loving, kind, and generous to everyone around her. As a wife and mother, she was devoted to the home and to her husband and children as she affectionately tended to their needs. She gladly opened her home to host parties with friends, bible studies, Pasadena High School Young Life students, and George’s basketball teams where he was a decorated coach at PHS and PCC. She happily attended hundreds of George’s basketball games. When her children were older, she went back to teaching the 5th grade at Pasadena Christian School for another 6 years, where she was beloved by her students and the community there.
She adored her friends and was always game for adventures with them whether shopping, hiking, lunching, traveling, or hosting celebratory occasions. She was a loving aunt, sister, daughter, neighbor and grandma. She cherished her grandchildren, Jonny, Benjamin, and Jasmine, always creating a loving and fun environment with many adventures.
She and George taught Sunday School at Lake Avenue Church for many years and were faithful members of the Disciples class where they fostered forever friends, and served their community. Danita and George were married for 61 years… George passed away in 2019. Her faith in Jesus was unwavering and she showed Christ’s love to others by being joyful, loving, caring, kind, helpful, giving, and faithful. Her favorite places to travel were Huntington Beach, Bass Lake, The Redwoods, Arrowhead, Hawaii, The Grand Tetons, Bryce Canyon and Palm Springs. Danita loved beauty! Some of her favorite things…animals, children, music, gardening, hiking, roadtrips, cooking, tennis, decorating, swimming in oceans and lakes, books, listening, talking, and meeting new people. She was an endlessly kind and gracious woman of God, and will be deeply missed, but eternally celebrated for the full life of love and beauty she lived.
Celebration of Life Service
Thursday, March 26, 2026 ~ 11:30 AM
Lake Avenue Church ~ Chapel (Old Sancturary)
393 N. Lake Avenue ~Pasadena, CA 91101
Reception will follow ~ Hutchins Hall ~ Skyroom
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Danita Letts Terzian, please visit our flower store.
Danita Letts Terzian's Guestbook
Visits: 26
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors