Ozark, Alabama: Paul Terry passed away at 89, just six months before his 90th birthday on February 15, 2025. He fought against numerous illnesses that slowly intruded upon his body.
He was a football coach at Carroll High School, and his wife, Harriett, preceded him in death.
Highlights
- Paul Terry fought against numerous illnesses that slowly intruded upon his body and passed away at 89 on February 15, 2025.
- He met his wife, Harriett, at Auburn University, and they had three children: Paul, Vicki, and Kareen.
- Harriett was a supportive wife but passed away before the high school football coach.
Paul was encouraged to get involved in sports during his junior high school years and became an exceptional athlete at Decatur High School. He earned Varsity Letters in both football and basketball each year.
Later, Coach Shug Jordan recruited him to play offensive and defensive tackle at Auburn University as a high school senior.
After graduation in 1957, the Cleveland Browns offered him to play professionally in the National Football League. However, he opted out of professional playing and coached at high schools.
Paul was an assistant coach at Andalusia and Enterprise. Afterward, he got his first position as a head coach at Enterprise High School in 1961 at 26.
He also coached at Florala High School and Carroll High School before retiring from the profession he loved after 34 years. He coached at Carroll from 1979 to 1991 and won two Region Championships.
Paul Terry’s Family Mourns The Tragic Loss
The remarkable coach Paul Terry was born on August 16, 1935, at his home in the Pinhook Community of Wren, Alabama. His parents named him Paul Edwin Terry, and he grew up in nearby Decatur.
He met his wife, Harriett, while attending Auburn University. They began seeing each other, and later, they married and began their own family.
Paul constantly challenged himself and those around him to pursue excellence. His love for football was a fundamental part of his life.
He was inducted into the Morgan County Hall of Fame, the Alabama High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, and the Wiregrass Sports Hall of Fame.
However, he attributed his success to the outstanding players and assistant coaches who collaborated with him.
I think coach Terry was very matter-of-fact on things. He knew what he wanted to do and he had an expectation of how he wanted us to coach and how he wanted the players to perform. We had groups of boys there at Carroll High School that were willing to pay the price to play. What I mean by that is coach Terry was about working hard. He would always work the boys hard, but I think he was a fair coach.
James Blanchard
Besides athletics, Paul enjoys his time with family, fishing, and playing poker. His family gatherings always include his favorite foods, like barbecue chicken with rice, raw oysters, fritters, crackling bread, and homemade coconut cake.
He loved walking miles with his dogs around the lake near his home. Sadly, he passed away, leaving his loving family behind.
His son, Paul Tery Jr.; daughters, Vicki Stayton and Kareen Lewis; brother-in-law, James Tillman; and grandchildren, Derek Lewis, Rachel Ryken, Jessica Stayton, and Lynsi Kaner.
Similarly, he was a great-grandfather who laughed with his grandchildren Landry, Gracie, Roman, Lilly, and Roland.
Furthermore, the Terry family will hold his funeral service at 2 PM on Thursday, February 20, 2025, in The Chapel at Searcy Funeral Home in Enterprise, Alabama.
Fox Fleming will conduct his celebration of life, and the graveside service will be limited to immediate family members. His family requested guests to donate in Paul’s memory to the COPD Foundation or the American Lung Association instead of flowers.
Rest In Peace, Paul Terry.
Additional Information
- Paul Terry obtained a Master of Education degree from Troy State University while he was the head coach at Enterprise High School.
- He mentored the American Legion Alabama Boys State Program and coached several Alabama All-Star Teams.
- He won the South Alabama Coach of the Year Award in 1963 and 1967.
