Stephen Terry

Steve Terry, age 96, died on January 21, 2019. He was a funny, thoughtful, loyal, active, learned, moral, gentlemanly, happy, good, charming and bald man who loved his family more than anything else in life. He also liked to laugh hard at a good joke (and he also wrote this obituary). Born in Chicago in 1922, he moved with his parents to Indianapolis in 1928. In his teens, Steve was active in the boy scouts and was chosen in 1937 as the outstanding Eagle Scout in Indianapolis. He attended high school at Park School, graduating in 1941. He had been Park School's tennis champion and captain of its basketball team. He started college in the fall of 1941, but WWII interrupted his college education while he served four years in the United States Marine Corps; from which he was discharged in 1946 with the rank of 1st Lt. In 1948 he graduated from St. John's College in Annapolis, MD (the great books program). He was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship in 1948 and graduated two years later from Jesus College, Oxford University, England with honors in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. After Oxford he went to the Yale Law School, graduating in 1953. He then became a lawyer with the Justice Department in Washington D. C., where he worked on many important cases, including the first case in the Supreme Court outlawing segregation in public schools. In 1955 he returned to Indianapolis and joined the law firm of Baker & Daniels. During his career at Baker & Daniels he served at various times as head of its litigation group and chairman of its management committee. He was chief counsel in many nationally important cases, trying lawsuits and arguing appeals in both state and federal courts.

Steve retired in 1991 and never looked back. After his retirement he remained active in his community, serving on public boards and on private boards of directors. He received the ROSA award from the Carmel Rotary Club in 2018 and was able to finally celebrate a Cubs World Series Title in 2016!

In 1971 he married Sharon Terry, whom he loved with all his heart until his death. They raised four boys, their son John, and three sons by her earlier marriage, David, Thomas and Edwin Broecker. Over the years Steve spent much time with Sharon watching the boys play sports from grade school through college, helping them grow into fine young men, following their successful careers and watching the growth of their families. There are eight grandchildren: Katie, Chris, Megan, Andrew Broecker, Brian and Nicholas Broecker and Stephen and Erin Terry. In recent years, Steve and Sharon enjoyed watching the grandchildren develop just as they watched the four boys grow into men.

Throughout his life, Steve accepted in good humor his father's advice: "Keep your nose clean, don't take any wooden nickels and never sell short the United States of America." He remained alert and young of heart until the day of his death. Steve's wife and family and an army of friends will sorely miss him. Farwell Pops!

Services will be held at St. Elizabeth Seton on March 16, 2019 9:00 visitation 10:30 Mass. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Friends of Hamilton County Parks.