Billy Ransome Terry, Sr.

Billy Ransome Terry, 86, of Florence, was born to Curtis and Edna Terry on September 28, 1934. He left this life peacefully at home on April 28, 2021.

Visitation will be Monday at Greenview Funeral Home from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. A Memorial service will follow in Greenview Memorial Chapel at 7:30 p.m. with Rev. John KcKell officiating. The family will hold a private gathering at Courtland Cemetery on Tuesday.

Mr. Terry, or Coach Terry, as many called him, graduated from the University of Alabama and began his career in education at Central High School until his retirement in 1988. Of his 17 year coaching career, his team had 16 winning seasons. He will be remembered for his gentle spirit and fairness in all that he did. He was the first area coach to have an integrated basketball team. Coach Terry was named Coach of the Year in 1973. He was inducted into the Lauderdale County Hall of Fame in 2000 and Lawrence County Hall of Fame in 2005. The Terry/Smith Gymnasium at Central Elementary School was named in his honor and dedicated to him on January 17, 2020.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 64 years, Charlan Terry; sons, William Ransome ‘Randy’ Terry, Jr. and Mike Terry and wife Dawn; granddaughter, Savanna Terry, who he was so proud of.

The family would like to thank Mr. Terry’s caregivers, especially Lassie, Lauren, Sherry and Nina.

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