Ira Edwin Terry was
born June 14, 1887 to Alford and Emma Terry. According to the
1900 census they lived in Sanford, Broome, New
York.
Sometime around the
mid 1900’s Ira was employed by the Margaretville Station of
the Delaware and Northern Railroad. According to Richard King,
Ira was, over the course of the following years employed in
the positions of, Station Agent, Freight Agent, Assistant
Dispatcher, Chief Clerk, Assistant to the Vice President,
Chief Dispatcher and purchasing agent. He was a dedicated
railroad man. His favorite singer was Johnny Cash because he
often sang of the railroad.
Ira was married in
about 1907 to Martha Jane McCall. Together, they had four
children. Marguerite was born in 1909, Vivian was born in
1918, and Robert was born in 1923. Born between Vivian and
Robert was another son, Raymond. Raymond was diagnosed with
Scarlet Fever at the age of approximately eight months and
died.
After the Delaware
& Northern went up for scrap, Ira went to work for the New
York, Ontario, and Western Railroad in Utica.
After Ira retired,
he and Martha remained in New York for some time. In about
1955 or 1956 they decided to move to Pompano Beach, Florida.
He became the manager of the Saigon Motel.
In the early 1960’s
they purchased a home in the Pompano Highlands, where he
resided until his death in 1969 at the age of 82. Martha
remained in their home until her death in 1981 at the age of
88.
Ira was a member of
the Masons in 1918 and Martha was an Eastern Star. He was
master in 1925 and was assistant grand lecturer in 1931. He
was firm in his beliefs and could be a serious man.
I remember a time
when the grocery store charged him a penny too much for one
item. He drove back to the store to get his penny. He didn’t
think about the cost of the gas he used or his time. It was
the principle of it.
He enjoyed watching wrestling on Saturday nights. If he didn’t
like a call by the referee, he would always write
a letter. The announcer would thank him for his
correspondence.
He was a devoted
family man. I remember he would drive me too and from my first
job. We loved him.
When he was near
his death, he said, "I have seen the first automobile, the
first airplane, the first television, and the first man to
walk on the moon. I can say what most men can’t and that is I
have loved the same woman for 62
years."
