FOUNDER HOWARD L. TERRY PASSES AWAY AT 95
The Foundation is saddened to announce that Howard L. Terry died suddenly Friday, April 20, 2012 in Houston.
Howard Terry was born in Milam County in 1916. He attended the University of Texas at Austin on an athletic scholarship and earned his B.B.A. in 1938. He attended the university on a football scholarship and always credited that scholarship as one of the most important events in his life. In 1937, as captain of the Longhorn football team, he participated in a stunning upset victory at Baylor. That victory won Terry and his team the Grantland-Rice Award. Upon their return to Austin, Terry and the Longhorn team saw the UT Tower lit for the first time in honor of their victory.
Terry was employed by Procter & Gamble until 1942, when he entered the U.S. Navy and served as a P.T. Boat Captain in the Pacific during World War II. He later returned to Procter & Gamble, from which he was recruited to set up a chain of appliance stores, serving as General Manager until 1951. At that time, Mr. Terry went into business for himself in lumber, building, and development, building several residential subdivisions in Texas and other states.
Over the following years, Howard Terry founded several businesses in various fields, including Business Funds, Marathon Manufacturing, Crutcher Resources, Allied Bancshares, and Farm & Home Savings. Beginning in 1979, he became a director and chairman of the executive committee of Penn Central Corp., a position he held until 1986. In 1981, he founded the Terry Companies, a multi-state corporation involved in oil & gas exploration and development.
In 1987, Terry and his wife Nancy founded the Terry Foundation, an education non-profit dedicated to providing four-year scholarships to Texas residents for attendance at Texas Universities. Over the years, the Terry Foundation grew to be the largest private source of scholarships in the state. Now sponsoring 800 Terry Scholars at eight Texas universities, the Foundation has funded college degrees for 2,600 students since inception. The Foundation is chartered to exist into perpetuity and will continue to provide for Texas students after Howard Terry.s death.
Howard Terry was active in the operations of the Terry Foundation for his entire long life. He worked his usual day in the Foundation offices on the day before he died.
Howard Terry was preceded in death by his son Michael and is survived by his wife Nancy, son Harry Terry, and daughters Suzann Terry Smith, Victoria Terry Steinhoff, and Cindy Terry Hempel; grandchildren Grace Borgeson, John Terry, David Terry, Cameron Smith, Michael Smith, Suzann Smith, Katherine Boeker, Kelsey Gray, Michael McConnell, Jessica Terry, Macon Terry, Tracy Becker, Amanda Booker and Steven Hempel; and 18 great-grandchildren.
A reception and memorial to honor the life of Howard Terry is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 25, 2012, in the Ballroom at River Oaks Country Club, 1600 River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77019.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Terry Foundation, 3104 Edloe, Suite 205, Houston, TX 77027, or the charity of your choice.
Terry Scholars and Scholar Alumni are also encouraged to join their fellow Scholars and the staff and directors in celebrating Mr. Terry.s memory at the annual Foundation picnics, which are scheduled for:
Winedale Location, Sunday, April 29:
The picnic will be located at the Winedale fairgrounds near Round Top, Texas. The fairgrounds are located on State Farm Road 2714. Take FM 1457 out of Round Top. After three miles, turn left on FM 2714. The fairgrounds are about a mile down the road on your left.
Terry Picnic North, Sunday, May 6:
Park Lane Ranch & Event Center
8787 Park Lane
Dallas TX 75231
The picnics this year are dedicated to Mr. Terry and his devotion to the Terry Foundation. If you plan on attending the picnic, please RSVP to Beth Freeman at bfreeman@terryfoundation.org.
