Terry Monforte

Terry Monforte was born in Blackwell, Oklahoma on November 21, 1949 to William Gilbert Monforte and Fern Carnelia Tompkins. He passed away in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at the age of 75. Terry graduated from Cleveland High School in 1969. One of his favorite classes was Carpentry. After high school, he attended OSU Tech in Okmulgee for a short time, before beginning his career as a design drafter working in engineering for companies like Unit Rig, Flight Safety, and Safety Training System.

He spent his early childhood in Blackwell, before his family moved to Cleveland where he lived for the rest of his life. Terry was a kind and loving man, willing to help anyone. He was such a talented designer, creator, builder, and artist. He could build and fix anything. He could take what most considered junk and create some amazing things. Even as a kid he was always building things and being ornery. He loved talking about his childhood He would always talk about being outside, playing and exploring the land and the creeks. He loved being outside, especially on The Monforte Land. Where he eventually built his own house himself for his family almost 50 years ago, his favorite place to be.

On December 18, 1970 he married the love of his life, Diann Ross. He loves her so much always and forever. Never stopped holding her hand. They had two children, Stacie and Terry Wayne. He had one grandson, Stacie’s son, Liam. He always made sure to tell Diann, Stacie, Terry Wayne and his grandson Liam that he loved them every day. He loved his kids and his grandson so much and made childhood fun for them as well as for his many nieces, nephews and cousins. Family was the most important thing to him. He was all about encouraging creativity and imagination. Tell them they could do anything they put their mind to. Encouraging them to play outside and explore. He built many playhouses for his kids and all the other kids, generation after generation. He built a gingerbread house, old west town which included a general store, bank, and church. For his grandson, Liam and his cousins, he built a treehouse and took down the old big toy at the Elementary School and rebuilt it into a pirate ship. The kids all loved these playhouses growing up. He gave us all so many wonderful memories.

Terry loved the holidays and always tried to make it fun for the whole family, especially the kids. One of his favorite holidays was Halloween. Terry and Diann lived in town on C Street in the early 70s and that’s where the spook houses began. Their first year in that house they didn’t have many trick or treaters, so the next year he built a false front for the house and created a lot of homemade Halloween decorations, like a creepy tree, witch, wooden coffins, and so much more. A lot of kids came by making that year and the years to follow so much fun for them. Later on, after he and his family moved out into the country on The Monforte Land, he began to do the spook houses for the school Halloween carnivals. Every year he would make something new. He wanted to make it fun for the kids. For the ones that got really scared, he would also tell the parents after it’s all over and the lights are back on, they are welcome to bring the kids by to see the stuff in the light and see how things worked. He wanted it to be fun. Later on, his family started having Halloween parties at home where he created all kinds of spook houses and creatures for it. Every year it was a different theme and setup. He created a lot of wonderful memories, laughs and scares throughout the years.

Over the last few years, his final main project was his truck. He loved showing people his truck and talking about all the things he’d done to it and what he planned on doing. He worked so hard on it, hoping to finish it. He just wanted to be able to ride in it just once. Seeing this custom truck and what he’s accomplished this far you can see how talented he truly was.

Terry was preceded in death by his son, Terry Wayne Monforte, his grandson, Liam Lynch-Monforte, his parents, his sisters, Neoma Monforte-Hickson & Vicki Monforte, brother William Monforte, his grandparents, Gilbert and Lizzie Monforte, nephew Wes Hickson.

Terry is survived by his wife Diann of the home, daughter Stacie, sister Carol Monforte-Carmichael, and brothers David Monforte and Mike Monforte. Nephews: Richard, Joseph, Guy, Jake, Josh, Matthew, Todd, Michael, and Nicholas. Nieces: Charlene, Crystal, Sarah, and Carrie. Great-Nephews: Jordan, Zach, Nate, Tyler, Frankie, Carlos, Kyle, Elijah, Asher, Micah, Jaxon, and Sawyer. Great-Nieces: Kyrah, Raelee, Kaitlyn, Lola, Rachelle, Morgan, Emma, and Ella. And by so many cousins, extended family, and loved ones.

Terry will be greatly missed. An amazing, loving, kind, talented, and ornery man. He is loved and admired by many. So creative and artistic, unbelievable talent.