Jimmie Morris Terry

Jimmie Morris Terry, Christian, husband, daddy, cowboy, went home to be with Jesus on December 7, 2025, a fitting date for a proud United States Marine veteran. Jim was born on April 18, 1946, in Oklahoma City to William Pickett “Pick” and Mildred Joy Terry. He grew up in Ft. Worth, Texas, where he graduated from Northside High School and soon after served in Vietnam. 

Upon his return, he learned to farm in the Texas Panhandle and eventually made his way to become the manager of the Witherspoon Ranch in Abilene, Texas. He met Priscilla at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Abilene, and they raised Alison and Timothy on the ranch. In 1990, the Terrys moved to Aledo, Texas while Jim searched for another ranch job. In 1993, he became General Manager of the Hurd Ranches in Laredo, Texas, running their large steer operation. The family struggled when Timothy was killed in a car accident in 2001, but their faith was only strengthened by this trial. Jim retired in 2005 to Hamilton, Texas, a town he and Priscilla had always thought was nice when passing through. They became members of Barn Church there, and later, Calvary Baptist Church. When the heat, humidity, and cedar became too much, in 2016, Jim wanted to move to Ruidoso, New Mexico. The family had always enjoyed visiting Cloudcroft when they lived in Abilene. Jim and Priscilla settled right in at First Baptist Church and quickly made many fine friends while serving the Lord there.

Now, these facts alone tell a story of an interesting life, but anyone who knew Jim experienced what an extraordinary storyteller he was. In his last years, he and mama started writing these stories down for Alison, which she treasures along with her memories of stories told around cow pens and family tables over the years. Hunting and fishing stories, stories of friends and family and all kinds of adventures; most of which were even true! The stories he told least were those of Vietnam, but when he and Alison were up late at night while quarantining during a shared case of COVID in 2022, he told those, too. Daddy’s many health concerns due to his exposure to Agent Orange (and also being an old, crippled cowboy) made his final years challenging, but Mama did her absolute best to care for him and manage his interaction with the VA. He never did use a computer, what freedom! 

The family expresses its deepest appreciation to Dr. Arjan Flora and the team at the Raymond G. Murphy VA Hospital in Albuquerque for the compassionate care he received during his stay there beginning, no kidding, on the 250th Marine Corps Birthday on November 10. Like most good stories, you don’t have to make this stuff up. The family also lifts up the good people at the Fisher House for the care and hospitality they provide military families in need.

A Celebration of Life will be held at First Baptist Church, Ruidoso, New Mexico, 270 Country Club Drive, at 10:30 am on Friday, December 19, 2025. Lunch will be served afterward for out-of-town friends. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, Samaritan’s Purse/Operation Christmas Child, or First Baptist Church Children’s Ministry/Summer Camp scholarships. Jim will be inurned at the veterans’ cemetery at Ft. Stanton, New Mexico, with full military honors in April 2026. 

The Terry family has entrusted their loved one to the care of New Dawn Cremations for direct cremation.

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