Terry Neil Smith passed from this world to claim his mansion in heaven on Thursday June 1, 2017 at Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Virginia. Terry was born November 18, 1953 in Big Springs, Texas to Johnny and Vada Smith. He spent his childhood in Mart, Texas where he attended the Mart Baptist Church. In school he excelled in academics as well as sports, playing basketball, football, baseball and running track. After high school graduation, he attended Texas State Technical Institute in Waco receiving an associates degree in chemical science. He then took a job with Phillips Petroleum Company in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and worked full time while earning his BS in Chemistry through night classes at Tulsa University. While at Phillips Petroleum, Terry became interested in environmental analysis and returned to school and completed a MS in Geochemistry.
He married Vicki J. Appleman in 1980. They had two sons Brandon and Ryan. The family lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Mckinney, Texas while Terry was employed in environmental laboratories. In 1999, Terry fulfilled a wish voiced years earlier while on vacation to ”live in Washington D.C.” when he joined the Environmental Protection Agency.
Terry will be greatly missed by his two sons, Brandon and Ryan Smith of Northern Virginia, their mother, Vicki Smith, his partner Schatzi Fitz-James and step siblings Carolyn McCauley, Jim Wetzel and Linda Sue Pemberton of central Texas.
Internment will be in Mart, Texas.
Memorials can be given to Spritual Care Support Ministries at SCSM.TV.
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