Richard Earl Terry, Jr
April 18, 1950 ~ July 10, 2023 (age 73) 73 Years Old
Obituary
Richard Earl Terry Jr. resident of Pasadena, Texas passed into the loving arms of Jesus on July 10, 2023. This gentle kind man was born April 18, 1950 in Jennings, Louisiana. He was the son of Richard Earl Terry Sr. and Ethel Lee Hardy Terry. Dick was raised in a loving Christian home with his twin sisters, Anita and Ouida. When his mother passed away, he sold his house to live with his Dad to help take care of him. He and his sisters always lived by the wise words of their mother “to take care of each other”.
Dick’s refuge and love was at his grandparents, Curtis Terry and Elizabeth Ada Reeves Beard Terry’s country home on Branch Road in Smithdale, Mississippi. He spent many summers and Thanksgivings as a child along with his twin sisters and cousin, Dr. Terry Earl Westbrook at Gran Ada’s where the extended Terry family gathered and were also joined by the Hardy, Cook, Sawyer, and Watts families.
Dick graduated from Deer Park High School in 1968. He made many friendships that continue to this day. Dick was an Air Force veteran serving from 1968 – 1974. His love of animals led him to his work at the Houston Zoo form 2002 – 2013. He worked in the Children’s Zoo and Carnivore Department and in Maintenance. His favorite animal was Fossa, a mongoose from the Republic of Madagascar. His coworkers became his friends—Kevin, Angie, Josh, Sam, Sara H, Michelle, Amy, Carolyn, Felicia, to name a few.
Dick is preceded in death by his parents, brother-in-law’s C. David Detweiler and William (Bill) Hurston, cousin Dr. Terry Westbrook and friend Mike Ashley. He is survived by his twin sisters, Anita Terry Detweiler and Ouida Terry Hurston, nephew David Earl Detweiler (Julie), nieces Carrie Denise Reeves Crawford, Carla Terry Reeves, Elizabeth Detweiler Jackson (James), great nieces, Jordyn Leigh Crawford and Audrey Detweiler and great nephews Lane Austin Crawford, Tyland Jackson and Henry Detweiler, cousins Lann Sawyer, Sally Watts, DeVonne Conner (Sydney), Dan Cook (Carolyn), friend Betty Leinneweber Sowers, friend and neighbor Helen McElroy, special friend Renee Mayes, and his faithful dog Lucy.
A special thanks for Webb Humburger of Smithdale, MS for his friendship through the years and Dick’s high school friends—too many to list, who continue to show their love for Dick to the family. To Calvin Watts and family for looking after the country house and who will continue the tradition of making memories at Gran Ada’s “one more time” our deepest appreciation.
A graveside service to be held at Adams United Methodist Church Cemetery in Summit, MS will be determined at a later date.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Richard E. Terry Jr.’s name to the Houston Children’s Zoo or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which Dick supported.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Richard Earl Terry, Jr, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
Dick’s refuge and love was at his grandparents, Curtis Terry and Elizabeth Ada Reeves Beard Terry’s country home on Branch Road in Smithdale, Mississippi. He spent many summers and Thanksgivings as a child along with his twin sisters and cousin, Dr. Terry Earl Westbrook at Gran Ada’s where the extended Terry family gathered and were also joined by the Hardy, Cook, Sawyer, and Watts families.
Dick graduated from Deer Park High School in 1968. He made many friendships that continue to this day. Dick was an Air Force veteran serving from 1968 – 1974. His love of animals led him to his work at the Houston Zoo form 2002 – 2013. He worked in the Children’s Zoo and Carnivore Department and in Maintenance. His favorite animal was Fossa, a mongoose from the Republic of Madagascar. His coworkers became his friends—Kevin, Angie, Josh, Sam, Sara H, Michelle, Amy, Carolyn, Felicia, to name a few.
Dick is preceded in death by his parents, brother-in-law’s C. David Detweiler and William (Bill) Hurston, cousin Dr. Terry Westbrook and friend Mike Ashley. He is survived by his twin sisters, Anita Terry Detweiler and Ouida Terry Hurston, nephew David Earl Detweiler (Julie), nieces Carrie Denise Reeves Crawford, Carla Terry Reeves, Elizabeth Detweiler Jackson (James), great nieces, Jordyn Leigh Crawford and Audrey Detweiler and great nephews Lane Austin Crawford, Tyland Jackson and Henry Detweiler, cousins Lann Sawyer, Sally Watts, DeVonne Conner (Sydney), Dan Cook (Carolyn), friend Betty Leinneweber Sowers, friend and neighbor Helen McElroy, special friend Renee Mayes, and his faithful dog Lucy.
A special thanks for Webb Humburger of Smithdale, MS for his friendship through the years and Dick’s high school friends—too many to list, who continue to show their love for Dick to the family. To Calvin Watts and family for looking after the country house and who will continue the tradition of making memories at Gran Ada’s “one more time” our deepest appreciation.
A graveside service to be held at Adams United Methodist Church Cemetery in Summit, MS will be determined at a later date.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Richard E. Terry Jr.’s name to the Houston Children’s Zoo or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which Dick supported.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” John 3:16
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Richard Earl Terry, Jr, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Richard Earl Terry, Jr, please visit our floral store.
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