Longtime Alaskan Teresa Kimball Peterson Burrell, 86, died June 15, 2010, at Providence Extended Care in Anchorage.  Teresa was born June 4, 1924, in Klamath Falls, Oregon to L.E. Peterson and Katherine Jennings Peterson.  Her father was a civil engineer with the Southern Pacific Railroad, and the family moved frequently as her father's railroad jobs changed.  When Teresa was a child, the family lived in Oregon, Utah, Nevada, and California.

Teresa attended Bakersfield High School, South Pasadena High School, and the University of California Berkeley.  Throughout her education, she was particularly interested in science.  After her college graduation, she worked as a lab technician.

Teresa moved to Anchorage in the early 1960s.  She lived for many years in a home on Wesleyan Drive in East Anchorage, adjacent to University Lake Park, of which she was a passionate supporter and defender.  Teresa was very interested in community issues and testified frequently before the Anchorage Assembly and other agencies in support of parks and on numerous other issues such as bike trails, animal rights, water rates, and liquor licenses.  For many years she was an active and outspoken participant in the University Community Council.

Teresa loved animals, especially dogs and birds.  She raised many prize-winning Norwegian elkhounds and her dog Tarquin was one of two chosen to greet the King of Norway when he visited Anchorage.  She enjoyed watching the annual Fur Rendezvous and Iditarod sled dog races from behind her home.  As a child, Teresa suffered from polio and missed a year of elementary school after surgery.  In her later years, she stoically endured reduced mobility and chronic pain due to post-polio syndrome and other illnesses.

Teresa is survived by her sister, Ann Wollen of Monrovia, California; her nephew, Chris Peterson; and her beloved long-time companion, Michael Adams of Anchorage.