Mr. Terry Ross Balch

Terry Ross Balch, 86, of Guntersville, Alabama, completed his life on May 28, 2025. He passed at home, surrounded by family, and under the care of Enhabit Hospice Services.
Born at home in the township of Balch, Arkansas on July 24, 1938, he was a devoted husband to Maria Taylor Balch of Guntersville, and a loving father to Suzanne Balch Delacey of Huntsville. He acquired the name "Pappaw" when he became grandfather to Ana, Taylor, and Benjamin Delacey of Huntsville. He was uncle to his dear nieces and nephews, Tanya Bell, Brad Rickett, Lisa Balch, John Lee Balch, and Craig Balch of Arkansas. Over his lifetime, Terry had myriad friends for whom his remarks about life will ring hilarious in their minds. He was known to quip, "You want fair? Fair is a bowl of rice every two weeks!"
He graduated Newport High School in Newport, Arkansas, in 1954, and then he went on to Arkansas College (now Lyon College) in Batesville, Arkansas where he received his baccalaureate degree in Biological Sciences. Starting a career in chemical engineering, he took a job in Guntersville, Alabama in 1966 very near the old hardware store that would later become Taylor Ace Hardware downtown. During a lunch break one work day, he strolled into the hardware store and met Paul Taylor's younger daughter, Mary Jean (Maria), and they immediately hit it off. During a date, Maria recalls him trying to convince a young boy that grape-flavored NeHi soda came from purple cows. Charmed, Terry and Maria married at the former Guntersville First United Methodist Church in 1967.
His career trajectory landed him in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1969, where he worked as a chemist in golf/sports manufacturing, where he received 2 patents for innovation in plastic and rubber chemistry. Their daughter Suzanne was born and raised in Tupelo. He was active in the Harrisburg Baptist Church congregation, taught Sunday School classes for adults, served on endless committees, volunteered as chaperone for youth activities, and referred to his call to becoming a deacon as "being deaked," After Maria's parents, Paul and Dorothy Taylor of Guntersville, passed, Terry and Maria retired and moved from Tupelo to Guntersville in 2001. Terry and Maria were nominally members of the former Guntersville First United Methodist Church, but eventually Terry preferred to pursue spirituality on his own. He enjoyed studying the Bible and either reading or listening to commentary on scripture.
One of Terry's big delights in his later years was the exercise class that was held at the Senior Center. He loved to read and contemplate ideas from politics to comedy. He savored his daily crossword puzzles and Sodoku. He would watch reruns of Johnny Carson and comedy shows with Robin Williams on YouTube.
He had a particular way with cats, and spoke to them in a voice he reserved only for them. He was fond of morning newspapers with his coffee, and he drank it black, mostly, stating, "If it's good coffee, it doesn't need anything else in it." He felt similarly about a good steak.
He could be found most evenings in his recliner, sipping a Diet Coke, listening to the news or oldies on the radio. He was mad for sweets, and sneaking him a cookie guaranteed a smile.
Terry was preceded in death by his parents, Cloa Blankenship Balch and John Bradley Balch; his brother, James Ira Balch; his sister, Lou Net Rickett Balch; and his infant son, Paul Bradley Balch. He is survived by his wife, Maria Taylor Balch of Guntersville; daughter, Dr. Suzanne Balch DeLacey (Deborah DeLacey), and 3 grandchildren, Ana, Taylor, and Benjamin DeLacey of Huntsville.
Terry requested a graveside-only service, which will be held Tuesday, June 3, 2025 at Crestwood Cemetery at 2:00 pm. No public visitation. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Association for the Advancement of Science at AAAS.org/SupportScience.