Former State Senator passes away at age 82

Champion of public education first elected to Senate in 1960

Email | Print By Ken Whitehouse

Former State Senator George Alvin Terry died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2008. The cause of death was heart failure.

Terry was a native of Oneida, Tenn., and served in both the Tennessee House of Representatives and the Tennessee State Senate. When Winfield Dunn was governor, he appointed Terry director of federal and state surplus property in Nashville.

He was an officer and director of the Tennessee Automobile Association and his family owned and operated Terry Motor Co. for more than 75 years.

After retiring from state government, Terry went to work as an administrator for the Davidson County Sheriff. He served on the board of directors and as vice president of First Trust & Savings Bank and of the First Southern Savings Bank. He also was an an elder for the Madison Church of Christ and an elder and deacon for the Oneida Church of Christ. 

Born Dec. 19, 1926, Terry attended school in Oneida and graduated from the Columbia Military Academy. He served in the U.S. Army and was a second lieutenant. He attended Auburn University, the University of Alabama and graduated from the University of Tennessee.

He was an East Tennessee Republican and followed his grandfather and father into public service first as county party chairman and then by running for office. Terry was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1956 and to the State Senate in 1960.

He was a champion of public education and the political contribution he was most proud of was bringing a vocational school to Oneida. He was recognized by his friends in Scott County in 2006 when the Tennessee Technology Center there honored him named its administrative center the Honorable Senator George Alvin Terry Administration Building.

Tennessee Technology Center Dwight Murphy stated at that dedication that "lives have been changed because of Senator Terry and continue to be changed today."

State Rep. Les Winningham, who chairs the Tennessee House Education Committee, said "The value of this center is immeasurable. In appreciation of this, past and current faculty and students wanted to honor Senator Terry who made the Tennessee Technological Center possible in Scott County."

Terry is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sarah Winn Terry, daughters Stephanie Terry Faulkner (Curt), Saralee Terry Woods (Larry), Seresa Terry Morgan, and Rachel Terry Thomas (Greg).

He is also survived by his grandchildren Gregory Todd Morgan, Jr., Kristin Morgan Dickerson (Garrett), Sean Faulkner, Winn Thomas, Megan Thomas, Allison Thomas, Rachel Woods (Dan Bostick), Allen Woods, Sarah Woods (Alex Dence) and a great grandson Miles Woods.

His brother Claude Terry, Jr. (Fayrene) and sister Jane Terry Hoffman reside in Oneida along with a host of beloved nieces, nephews and cousins and a special cat, Skippy Lou.

The funeral for Terry will be held on Saturday, Oct. 4 at noon at the Goodlettsville Church of Christ. Visitation is at the church on Friday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. There will also be visitation with the family from 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Arrangements by Phillip Robinson Funeral Home. The family asks that Terry be remembered through contributions to the Mission Fund at the Goodlettsville Church of Christ or the Mission Fund at the Oneida Church of Christ, Oneida 37841. Nephews and friends will serve as pallbearers.