John Kingsland Terry

West Point, 1965

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Tom Abraham on February 23, 2015:

My mother and father gave me two brothers. West Point gave me many more. Jack was the first during something called "beast barracks". I'm going to try to not remember Jack in his suffering years. All I choose to remember about those times are that he never once complained, never felt sorry for himself, never accepted what he could not do, never gave up, and always had a sense of humor. What I am going to remember about Jack will put a smile on my face, maybe a tear in my eye. Jack was always competitive. He would not accept that he wasn't the best at anything. At our first wrestling class he planned on whipping me good. He couldn't. I said Jack, don't take it so hard, I'm a wrestler." He still wanted a rematch. The following week we had boxing. He pummeled me. He said "Tom, don't take it so hard, I forgot to tell you I was a Golden Glove champ." I did not want a rematch. Then we took up arm wrestling, a contest that ran on infinitum. Over the several hundred matches it was an even score until the last one at Castle Point. He caught me in a weak moment. He even insisted on beating me at racquetball with only 1 leg. How humiliating! My fondest memory will be at his daughter Karen's wedding at the Hotel Thayer. He was already with infliction and having some difficulties. He asked me to help him walk Karen down the aisle. He was the most proud Dad I've ever seen. He wasn't going to miss doing what I'm sure he waited many years to do. Then at the reception, I'm watching him while his wife Susan was entertaining guests and looking after things. All of a sudden he's up and off. I asked him to please sit down before something happened. He said, "I'm going to dance with my wife." I'm sure they have had many special moments, but to me, I've never seen Jack and Susan happier. I was glad that was over without incident, but then Jack went back to the dance floor and said "I'm going to dance with my daughter." I will always remember Jack as the Happy Jack. Life's misfortunes were not going to get this Ranger down. Jack was a special guy and he will be missed by many.

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