Our Elders

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Terry was born on November 15, 1943. His parents were Arthur and Leona Sallee. Terry was the second of 5 children, 4 boys and 1 girl. Terry grew up living on a farm over by the Salt Marsh in Stafford County, Kansas. He attended country school until he went to Stafford then to Sterling and graduated from there in 1961. Terry attended the Bethel Church of Christ and was baptized there at the age of 12, also the Stafford Church of Christ after the two merged, as he was growing up. His parents did not attend except Leona did go sometimes and later in life she attended at St. John regularly and Terry was blessed to baptize his mother. That was a huge highlight in his life.

After Terry graduated from Sterling he attended Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas where he received his master’s degree in Organic Chemistry in 1966.

Terry's family belonged to the St. John Saddle Club and so did Joy's family. That is where he met Joy – painting bleachers at the arena in St. John. 

Joy was born December 1, 1948. Her parents were Clarence and Ruby Leitner. Joy grew up on a farm west of St. John where Terry and Joy live now. Terry rode some rough horses for Joy's dad and Terry and Joy became good friends. Joy was raised helping on the farm and working with cattle dogs and riding horses with her dad. Joy attended Greenridge Country School until 4th grade then went to St. John and graduated from there in 1967. As Joy grew up, her parents did not attend church very much. Christmas and Easter usually, at the Methodist Church in Macksville. Joy attended VBS in the summers when she was in grade school.

After Terry received his master’s degree, he applied for a research chemist position with Shell Chemical Company in Denver and was accepted. He did not want to leave Joy though, so--- they secretly made a plan. They eloped! On January 14, 1967, they were to go to a movie together, but instead headed for Russel, Kansas Church of Christ where they were married that evening. Terry had taken Joy to church with him through the years and had studied with her about Jesus. The next day they returned to the Church there and Joy was baptized. After church they headed for Denver, Colorado where Terry started working for Shell Chemical Company as a research Chemist. 

Terry and Joy attended church at the Central Church of Christ in Denver. Their time in Denver was short though. In April Terry received a direct commission as a Lieutenant J.G. for the United States Navy. They moved to Bethesda, Maryland where Terry was a research Chemist for the Naval Medical Research Institute. He studied the biochemical effects of decompression sickness. Most of the studies were done on animals, but they established decompression schedules for Navy divers working with the Sea Lab Experiments. From his work at the Navy Medical Research Institute Terry has 17 scientific publications.

Joy worked as a bookkeeper for L.N. Hill Company, in Washington D.C. Terry and Joy began raising Golden Retrievers and met a couple in Virginia that also raised retrievers. Terry would go hunting with Warren and Joy would travel and go with Nancy and show dogs.

Church was a problem while in Washington D.C. - Terry and Joy did not attend church often while Terry was in the Navy, but continued to study and God was always a huge part of their lives. When Terry got out of the Navy in 1970, we went back to Denver and Terry began working for Shell Chemical Company again. Shell established a new research facility in Atlanta, Georgia and all the research was done at that sight. They wanted Terry to move to Atlanta to that facility but we did not want to go to Atlanta, so Terry accepted a position as a research chemist for Anchor Serum in St. Joseph, Missouri. Tammy was born shortly after we moved there on February 8, 1971. Terry, Joy, and Tammy lived on a farm about 30 miles from St. Joseph and had a farrow to finish hog operation and also a cow herd and horses. Then in the fall of 1974 Joy’s parents wanted us to come and work with them on the farm. We started our move back home in the fall of 1974 then Joe was born February 19, 1975. Terry, Joy, Tammy, and Joe began attending church at the St. John Church of Christ. Tammy and Joe were raised in the Church in St John. Terry taught many years at the St. John Church teaching every class available – littles through adults. Joy also taught bible classes of various ages. Terry, Teddy Gingrich, and Jerry Kinnamon were appointed deacons of the Church in the mid 1970’s and then a few years later Terry and Teddy were appointed Elders of the church. Tammy and Joe were blessed to have grown up in the St. John Church of Christ. Tammy continued her education graduating from York College (2yr. then) and then Harding University. Joe Meador also attended Harding University and also Joe Sallee. Now both Tammy and Joe Meador and their family, and Joe Sallee and his family attend church in Garden City, Kansas and Tammy’s husband Joe Meador just recently was appointed an Elder for the Garden City Church of Christ. 

Some things Terry would like to share:

4 things Terry’s dad taught him:

1. On discipline -You only tell a child ONCE!
2. If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right.
3. Your word is your bond.
4. If you borrow something from someone, you take it back in at least as good a condition as you got it.

Joy’s dad taught Terry so much about horses. He was a real cowboy and horseman. - LOL! Terry says the reason he is crippled is because of all those horses. He thought he could ride them all and he sure had fun trying.

Another thing Terry would like to share, is a few things about a past Elder of the Church here in St. John. – Gib Brock

He mentored me as a deacon and started me teaching. He taught me that you had to study deeply to be a teacher. I have tried to do that. I taught most of the time until Carl came. I was born with a “Sallee” temper and Gib helped me learn to control it. He told me he had a temper as a young man and had learned to control it. I would have never known Gib had a bad temper.

Gib told me when I was appointed an elder this thought. “Now, you are not a cowboy, leave your spurs at home! You don’t drive em’ or rope em’ and drag em’. A shepherd leads and cares for the flock, and they follow.

Terry used to be an avid hunter. He used English Setters, Irish Setters, and Golden Retrievers. He thoroughly enjoyed hunting with his brothers in Christ.

As Tammy and Joe were growing up Terry and Joy had around 300 cows, raised calves and ran grain cattle in the fall through the winter into the spring. That was all in addition to farming with Joy’s dad. We needed extra help. There was a young man that had come up from Mexico that was needing work, we hired him to work for us. Then his “cousin” came and worked for us and then the “cousin’s” brother came to work for us. We took them all to Wichita to the immigration office and filled out all the papers needed to make it so they would be legal and be able to get a green card. We also took a young man that came from Mexico that worked for Teddy Gingrich. All these young men from Mexico are still our friends and some of them are like family. They married and have families and their children have gone to school here, some already graduating and going on to college, some are still in high school. We grew very close to them. We enjoyed them so much and still love seeing them and spending time with them.

Through the years things have changed and Terry and Joy have downsized their farming and cattle herds. Terry drove a school bus for Macksville Schools for over 20 years. Joy worked with Teresa Miller in specialized for several years then was hired by Macksville School to be the food service director and has been there 30 years. Terry and Joy live a less hectic life now but still enjoy their cows and horses, dogs, yes and even cats – gotta have cats to live in the barn – and spend more time with the family and doing things at church and around the community. Also keeping up with the grand kids and the things they like to be involved in is a very special time in our lives. God has been so vivid to us, and we so appreciate how he has blessed us both.  Were there troubles and strife at times in our life? You can be sure there were!!! But through it all, God remains! He is everywhere – like the song says, “How can you not see God!!!” 

Richard was born and raised in Stafford, KS on the family farm. Graduated from Stafford High School and attended and graduated from Kansas State in 1978 with a major in agronomy. He returned to Stafford and worked for a leasing company for two years and then began farming with his father in 1980. He grew up attending the Methodist church in Stafford.

Shelly was born in Borger, Texas and lived in Stinnett, TX. Her parents became Christians when she was around 5 years old. Three years later her dad became a minister. Their first church was located in Vici, OK., then they moved to Minneola, KS. The last move was to St. John where she began her eighth-grade year. Changing schools was a valuable learning experience along with being a “preacher’s kid”.  After graduating from high school, she went to nursing school and became an RN. She worked at the St. John Hospital, Leisure Homestead and then for 25 years at South Central Special Education Cooperative based in Pratt.

Richard and Shelly have been married for 30 years this July. From their previous marriages, Richard has two children and Shelly has three children. From this, they now have eleven grandchildren. They both feel that God is the reason that they are together. Richard began attending the Church of Christ in St. John soon after they were married and then was baptized in 1997. He has served as an elder and treasurer for 11 years.

One of the blessings they look back on and are so thankful for is the time spent hosting a combined youth group from Stafford and St. John communities along with Janet and Carl Feril. At one point, there were fifty youths in the group. Lots of banana pudding, brownies, and cookies were eaten. Most importantly was the fellowship, fun, and encouragement of pointing others to God.

Tom and Pam’s faith history began at Bethel and Peace Creek country churches where they were well taught the scripture in their early years.  At the Stafford church during high school and at the Manhattan church while at K-State they were mentored by incredible church leaders in Darrel Murphy and Harold Mitchell.  As a young married couple back in Stafford, they taught Sunday school, worked with the youth group and soon Tom was added as a deacon for the church.   They raised their 3 sons, Tyler, Todd, and Trey on a 4th generation farm North of Stafford.  Their first test of faith came in 1990 when Todd was diagnosed with an incurable cancer.  Another test of faith occurred in 2002 when their farm operation failed and they began a new chapter in their careers.  Tom became the outreach minister, working with Carl at the church here and Pam began teaching as a math instructor for HCC.  During these years, they both became an integral part of the leadership at Silver Maple Camp, a ministry they are truly passionate about.  In 2016, Pam retired from teaching and Tom stepped down from his position with the church to pursue his land management business.  If you talk to Tom, you’ll quickly find out he’s an avid wildlife enthusiast.  He loves taking the grandkids fishing and duck hunting.  Pam’s enthusiasm is for Sewing for the Master, a new benevolence ministry that is helping children all over the world.  In their free time, they dabble in beekeeping and gardening.

Pam’s favorite scripture is Ephesians 2:10: "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Tom’s personal favorite is Micah 6:8: "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

Carl and Janet began their ministry together when they married and Janet joined Carl at the church in Brighton, CO in 1973. They moved to work with the church at Kim, CO in 1975, where both of their sons were born. After 8 years, they moved to Kansas to work with the church at Stafford for 10 years. This was their first work with elders, greatly improving their effectiveness. It was here they began to work alongside Tom and Pam Turner, and formed friendships with Richard Brensing as well as Ned Marks and Don and Gary Hornbaker. These are some of the spiritual relationships that influence them still today.

While in Stafford, Carl completed a BS in Behavioral Science at Sterling College and a MS in Family Therapy from Friends University. Janet began working at the Stafford Hospital in Medical Records while completing her AA in Medical Record Technology at Hutchinson Community College and later while in St John, a BA in Business Administration from Barclay College.

They moved to St John in January of 1994 to work with the church here. The elders at that time were Teddy Gingrich, Loyd Ratts, and Terry Sallee. Carl had the privilege, at the direction of the elders, to add George Shelton, Richard Brensing, and Tom Turner to the church leadership; after retirement, Carl was added as a shepherd. Janet worked for 20 years in mid-level management for Hutchinson Hospital and Carl worked as a Marriage and Family therapist on his days off in private practice and with schools at Stafford and St John. They retired in 2019. Today, they minister ministry couples and work with the teens.

Walking alongside other disciples and attempting to set godly examples have been priorities throughout their lives, whether in the community or with the church family.