Terry Post

Livestream for Terry Post's service

From the moment Terry Post came into the world on April 16, 1984, born butt first in an ambulance with a strategic poop into a doctor’s hand, it was clear he was going to do things his own way. He lived 41 years exactly like that: surprisingly, hilariously, generously, and with an energy that could fill a house.

Terry loved stories, and he filled his life with ones no family could forget. His greatest hits included:

Sneaking penis-shaped pasta into the Kraft Mac & Cheese so his mother would declare at the dinner table, in horror, “There’s penises in the dinner!”

Repeatedly booby-trapping the kitchen sink by tying a rubber band around the faucet sprayer so that every time Mom turned on the water, she was immediately drenched, a prank she somehow fell for more than once

Engineering a fart machine ambush on Christmas so convincing that Grandma questioned whether Mom had swallowed a coin-operated fart system, “Gosh Mary, who put the coin in you?”

Bringing Cards Against Humanity into the family circle, thus ensuring no one would ever be the same

Using his Tesla’s fart feature with the dedication of a true artist startling unsuspecting strangers

Conversing in his sleep about feeding Peewee the turtle a mysterious sandwich

Tracking down his sister and friends’ rural camping trip and showing up unannounced on four-wheelers with his friends, scaring the absolute crap out of everyone before revealing himself, delighted with the chaos he created

Standing naked on a balcony 26 stories up, greeting river boats like the world’s friendliest lighthouse keeper

He built stories everywhere: at EDM shows, on road trips, at raves he somehow found even in Texas during a family wedding, and in the countless moments he shared with the love of his life, Jake, especially while chasing Pokémon, sunsets, and new adventures.

But there were quieter stories too. Terry spent his life helping others through their darkest moments. After graduating from Hill-Murray High School in 2002, he continued his education at Metropolitan State University and later earned his master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health from Walden University. As a licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, he guided people with compassion, sharp insight, and a humor that made hard conversations bearable. Many people credit him for turning their lives around when no one else could reach them.

He talked in his sleep, mentored the young, wore bright colors, loved boldly, and made sure every person in his orbit felt seen. In his final days in the ICU, even while critically ill, he made the medical team laugh, once telling a nurse, completely deadpan, that he made it through tough times by “smoking crack, I learned it from my mom”, a line so absurd it’s become an instant Terry classic.

Terry left this world as he lived in it: with laughter, love, a remarkable ability to create connection, a man who understood the sacred power of a well-timed fart. He will be deeply missed and joyfully remembered.

Terry is preceded in death by father, Timothy; and aunt, Anne Ferguson.

Survived by life partner, Jake Grathwol; mother, Mary; siblings, Christopher (Samantha), Sara (Jeff) and Brooke (Bryan); nieces and nephews Dakoda, Taylynn, John, Connor, and Aleah; the furry, shelled, and finned companions who made up his personal menagerie: Diva, Ru, Koda, Umbreon, Simba, Pumpkin, Peewee, Squirtle, and a school of fish affectionately referred to as the “frisbees”; and numerous other family and friends.

A celebration of Terry’s life will be Saturday, December 20, 2025, 11:00 A.M. at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 900 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Paul Sober Living or Epilepsy Foundation of Minnesota