Planes, trains and automobiles is a good description of Don and his lifelong hobbies and interests. Born to Agatha Watkins Terry and Major Raggio Terry on June 6, 1947 and peacefully passing on to his next adventure on April 29, 2022, after having fought a brave battle against lung cancer. He was surrounded by his devoted wife, Julie, and loving brothers Michael Terry, Michael Standley and Ian Brown.
He grew up surrounded by his loving Parents and younger brother Michael, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousin in beautiful Santa Paula, California. This is where his love for trains began with his Grandfather taking him to the Santa Paula train depot. He and his buddies spent many an adventurous afternoon playing at the Santa Paula Airport. His love of cars began with him assembling model cars until getting his driver's license and buying his first car, a 1956 Chevy Bel Air Coupe. He owned numerous cars throughout his lifetime, with his pride and joy being the 1932 Ford Roadster, 1940 Ford Fordor Deluxe and the 1971 Corvette Stingray convertable parked in the Man Cave. He would say to anyone that had a convertable that they knew the "ABC's of buying cars-Always Buy Convertables, because when the top goes down, the price goes up!"
He met several lifelong friends at his Grandmother's nursery school, going on to graduate from Santa Paula High School in 1965. He then attended the next two years at Ventura College, transferring to Cal State Fullerton in the Fall of 1967. This was the beginning of Don spending the rest of his life in Fullerton, California. While attending CSUF, he made many lifelong friends/brothers, having joined the Delta Chi Fraternity and having close associations with brothers in the Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity.
I know this to be true about Donald Austin Terry, he was a good, kind, thoughtful and fun boy that grew into a loving, caring and intelligent man.
He is survived and will forever be missed greatly by his dedicated and loving wife, Julie Marble, his younger brother Michael Terry and his significant other, Archina Scott, brother-in-law Tom Simmons and sister-in-law Carol Sadowsky, stepchild and spouse Keili and Cori Marble Steele, stepdaughter and husband Sierra and Travis Marble Wilson, fraternity brothers Michael Standley, Ian Brown, Brian Yeandle, Doug Landgren, John Dolon, Bill Whiteside, Gene Haines, Lucious Brown, Harry Empting and good friend Robert Lower and childhood "brothers" Scott Farmer, Ted Staley, Larry Price, Danny Dodson, Steve Barry, Chuck Stewart and Paul Yamamoto.
There will be a celebration to honor Don's next great journey on Sunday, June 5th, at the Hill Top Banquet Center, Fullerton Elks Lodge No. 1993, located at 1400 Elks View Lane, Fullerton, CA 92835, beginning at noon. Please wear your favorite Hawaiian or Hot Rod shirt as Don would want everyone to be comfortable. There will be a Santa Paula celebration, with the date, time and place TBD.
We will forever adore and remember you and will stand taller and stronger having known you as husband, brother and friend.
Guestbook