Terry Lee Smith

May 4, 1937 – June 22, 2016

Terry Lee Smith was born on Tuesday, May 4, 1937, to Dale M. Smith and Ruth U. Smith, his loving parents. He passed from this life and into the next on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, and his loss is felt deeply by his family and his numerous friends. “Smitty” will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

Terry married Carolyn Sue Homsey in July of 1962, and they enjoyed nearly 54 loving and wonderful years together.

He was predeceased by his father, Dale, his mother, Ruth, and his sister Lorna Dale Force.

Terry is survived by his wife, Carolyn, his daughter Stacey and son-in-law Jerry Weddington; his daughter Tyler Jo and son-in-law Michael Fowler; and his grandsons Alexander Weddington and Nicholas Fowler. He also leaves behind his sisters-in-law Beverly Kouri (Harry) and Terri Lynn Laham (Mike), his brother-in-law Joe Homsey, Jr. (Patsy), and his nephew Kenneth Jordan (Debby).

Terry was an eternally kind, loving, and faithful man. He lived his whole life in Oklahoma City, and enjoyed a long list of accomplishments during a very full and wonderful life. He graduated from Classen High School in 1955, and from the University of Oklahoma in 1960 with a Bachelor’s in business, where he was also a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. After college he served in the Air National Guard. His career began at American Mutual Company, where he met his future wife, Carolyn. Together they owned and operated Walker-Ten Package Store in Midtown Oklahoma City from 1963 until 1996. He then worked for Central Liquor Company until his retirement in 2015.

Among his many accomplishments and interests were wrestling at OU, racing cars, playing jazz music, golfing, taking road-trips (he remembered fondly a beer-filled journey to Mexico with college friends in the 1950s), and watching OU football and the OKC Thunder. Terry was an avid reader of fiction and history, and a gourmand and wine connoisseur. His knowledge of fine European wines gained national and international notoriety, including a write-up in Harry Waugh’s famous Christie’s wine diaries. In Oklahoma City he was an instrumental leader in cultivating membership to the Chaine des Rôtisseurs, gaining its highest honor as Bailli, and for many years was an active member of Les Amis du Vin. Other leadership positions included membership on the board of the OKC Chamber Music Society, and on the Parish Council of St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, where he was a long-standing member. He served as a 32nd Degree Mason, and was a member of the Shriners (where he frequently bowled with his brother-in-law, J.R.).

Terry was a kind and gentle man with a brilliant sense of humor, a supportive and ever-present father and the greatest Jiddi in the world to “his boys.” A more sensitive and faithful husband could not be found and his devotion to Carolyn was the truest example of unconditional love. Theirs was an epic romance, and at his weakest on June 20th, Carolyn’s birthday, Terry gifted her with a stroke of his hand to her cheek and an “I love you more.”

Truly, Terry had many accomplishments during this life, but none greater than to simply say, “He was loved by all who knew him.”

The family would especially like to thank Dr. Ronald White, his staff, and the nurses and staff of the Oklahoma Heart Hospital, who lovingly cared for Terry over many months.

Visitation will be at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Directors on Friday from 4-8 p.m.Trisagion service will be held at 10:00am followed by the funeral at 10:30am on Saturday, June 25, 2016 at St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, 15000 N May Ave, OKC, OK 73134. Memorials may be made to AutismOklahoma, 13919-B N. May Avenue #106, OKC, OK 73134, or to St. Elijah’s Flowers That Do Not Wither Fund.

Arrangements under the direction of Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper Funeral Directors, Oklahoma City, OK.