Douglas Lee Terry was born in 1932 to Bud and Estelle Terry in Bristol, Virginia. As the oldest of five children, Doug was often found helping his grandparents, Doc and Myrtle, with the family potato chip business, Terry’s Potato Chips. As the business was started during the Great Depression and struggled because of it, the family worked together to make the company a success. Doug would often help the family by going door-to-door selling some of Terry’s stellar snacks, such as peanut butter crackers, chips and miniature pecan pies. Throughout the years, Doug’s family cherished his pie-making abilities. His special pecan pie recipe has always been a holiday staple at family gatherings.
In June 1952, Doug married Anna Ruth, but they were only able to enjoy married life for a few short months before Doug was drafted and sent to Korea in December. Upon completion of his service, he and Anna Ruth moved to St. Louis, Missouri where he began working with McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. He spent 34 years with the company building and supervising the production of military jets, including the F-15, F-4 and AV-8B Harrier. While in St. Louis, Doug and Anna Ruth raised their three children, Vera, Rob and Donna.
After retiring in 1988, Doug and Anna Ruth moved back to Bristol, Tennessee where he has spent his later years sharing quality time with family and enjoying his favorite hobbies of building and flying model airplanes and fishing.
