Leon E. Terry Jr.

Gene Terry, 97, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, May 15, 2016, surrounded by family. Mass of Christian Burial will be 12:00 pm, Thursday, May 19 at Cure of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, KS, burial at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Visitation will be 10:30 am – 12 p.m., Thursday, prior to mass. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions to Villa St. Francis, 16600 W. 126th St., Olathe, KS 66062.

He was preceded in death by the love of his life, wife Mary Feeley Terry in 2006, and son Christopher Lee Terry in 1971.

Gene is survived by children Pat (Karen) Terry (Andover, KS), their sons Ryan and Evan, Regina Terry (Overland Park), her son Alex, Marilyn (Jerry) Riscoe, (Overland Park) their daughter Mackenzie, Kevin Terry (DeSoto, KS), John (Laurie) Terry (Plano, TX), their children Paige, Jake, Meg and Emily.

Gene was born April 4, 1919 in St. Joseph, MO to Leon E. Terry and Mollie Gerstner Terry. He graduated in 1938 from Benton High School and moved to Kansas City at the age of 19. He worked for Federal Crop Insurance and during WWII, served in the Navy at the Olathe Naval Air Base as an air traffic controller. At Federal Crop, he met Mary Feeley who (in his words) was “bubbly and full of life”. Gene and Mary were married Sept. 1, 1945 at Guardian Angels Catholic Church and settled into their first home in northern Prairie Village, KS. Gene decided to try his hand at homebuilding, and built his first house in Fairway for his own growing family. This was the start of his company, Terry Homebuilding, and he spent the next 16 years building throughout the Kansas City area; again providing a larger home for his wife and six kids in southern Prairie Village. In the 1970s he sold real estate, and then went to work for General Services Administration in the Building Management and Real Estate divisions. Gene retired from GSA in 1987, returning 2 years later, and retiring for the second time in 1994. Gene and Mary were among the founding members of Cure of Ars Catholic Parish and of Leawood South Country Club. Golf was his game and he played until age 87, making a hole-in-one at age 81. They both enjoyed socializing with friends, playing bridge, dancing (his kids fondly called him “Gene, Gene the dancing machine”). They also loved traveling, visiting the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Europe; and he reached his goal of making it to all 50 states. Gene had a great sense of humor and knew how to have fun. He was an exceptional role model to his kids and grandkids as a husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather. He was just a nice, sweet man. When recently reflecting about the past, Gene commented “I led a good life”. Married for 60 years, Gene had missed his Mary for the last ten years. They are now rejoined in heaven to spend forever together. We thank God for giving us such wonderful parents. God Bless you Dad, we love you.