David Thomas Terry

David Thomas Terry, formerly of Great Falls and Gainesville, Virginia, passed away on April 10, 2026 at Revelle of Bucks County, in Warminster, Pennsylvania. He was 91.

Born in Hammond, Indiana on April 12, 1934, David was the only son of the late William Overton Terry and Dorothy Bradley Terry. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 58 years, Agnes Hale Samford Terry. He is survived by their four sons, William Samford Terry and wife Natalya, James Edward Terry and wife Catherine, David Emory Terry, and Joseph Leigh Terry and wife Theresa Crapanzano; his grandchildren, David and Sofia Terry; Nathan, Brandon and Alyssa Terry; and Grace, CC and Jamie Langford; his sister-in-law, Katharine Ann Samford and friend Emily Tilley; his brother-in-law Emory Hale Samford, Jr.; his niece, Katharine S. Railey and husband Edward; and two great nephews Jack and Samford Railey.

Raised by parents who had left rural Tennessee for northern Indiana during the Depression, Dave strove to build a career that would provide a comfortable life for his future family. He earned a degree in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University in 1956, moving to the Washington area shortly afterwards to work as an examiner for the US Patent and Trademark Office. While there, he studied law at night, graduating from the George Washington University School of Law in 1961. Newly admitted to the DC bar, he indulged in his passion for sports cars and purchased a Porsche. A roadtrip to Mexico in this green 356 with his best friend Dalton became the stuff of legend as one misadventure followed another. However, those freewheeling bachelor days were brief—shortly afterward, he met his future wife, Agnes. They were married in 1963 and welcomed their first child, William, in 1966.

Over the following decades, Dave built a successful career in patent law, representing companies from around the world needing access to the US market. The family moved to Great Falls and welcomed sons James, David, and Joseph. They had a busy social life, making new friends through Agnes’s love of contract bridge and Dave’s role as an enthusiastic ‘soccer dad’ to his sons.

In early 1997, Dave suffered a severe stroke that almost claimed his life. He required over a year of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation to learn to walk and talk again. Doctors gave him little chance of surviving longer than 10 years. But he persevered with his recovery, aided by Agnes’s boundless energy, eventually becoming well enough to spend the next two decades traveling the world with her. They became passionate participants and supporters of Fairfax County’s Helping Hands Stroke Club support group.

After Agnes’s untimely death in 2021, Dave began a new chapter of his life by moving to a recently opened assisted living facility in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, only 10 minutes away from his son James. Dave enjoyed being able to visit his family, and loved the many weekends when he joined them in cheering on his newest favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles. He became well known by his care team for his unflappable, fearless persona. On Good Friday, he suffered another stroke and died one week later, just two days shy of his 92nd birthday.

Dave was a kind and generous man who inspired all who knew him—both through his professional accomplishments and his long, courageous path to recovery. Funeral services will be conducted at 12:00 noon, Saturday, May 2, 2026 at Williams Funeral Home, Lawrenceville with a private burial at Bethel Church Cemetery, Alberta, VA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Stroke Association.