Terry Burris

Terry Lane Burris, a dedicated husband, father, grandfather (Papa) and great grandfather, died surrounded by family at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas on Friday, October 27.
Terry was born on October 28, 1943 to Benjamin Ward and Doris Burris. He grew up in Mississippi and was part of the first class to graduate from the newly consolidated school at Liberty Attendance Center. He married his high school sweetheart, Dianne, and together they raised a family of three children in Mississippi, Tennessee, and then Texas.
Terry was an ambitious career-man from the start. He spent his early years assembling washers and dryers in Tennessee then working at Kellwood Company in Summit, Mississippi, where he attended Southwest Mississippi Community College to earn an associate degree.
After graduation, Kellwood assigned him to an engineering training program that advanced his career, and in several years put him in charge of developing Sewing Standard Data and moved his family to Jackson, TN. In 1978, he took a leap of faith and left his job to move to the Mexico-Texas border in McAllen, Texas as a Vice President of Manufacturing. He led a successful career with Vanity Fair, where he was able to travel and vacation to places such as Puerto Rico, Australia, and Paris.
The Burris family lived in Texas for 13 years where his children, Tony, Shelia, and Lane, grew up and went off to college. By 1988, Terry and Dianne began the next chapter of their lives and bought land in Smithdale, Mississippi to build their retirement home.
Terry was a devoted Christian and active in his community. He was a deacon at his church, Mt. Olive Baptist Church, where he took great pride in caring for the upkeep of the cemetery.
Terry is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife Dianne and their three children Tony (Sandy) Burris, Sheila (Matt) Guajardo, and Lane Burris of San Antonio; his siblings, Tommy Burris, Rita (William) Shelton, Carol (Denny) Duck, Rebecca Andrews, Benjamin (Allene) Burris, and Missy Burris; grandchildren, Katlyn Guajardo, Nicole (Will) Smith, Olivia (Jose) Ortiz, Amanda (Charley) Pagan, Derek (Alexa) Burris, Lane (Lindy) Burris, and Collin Burris; great-grandchildren, Levin Pagan, Theo Pagan, and Sawyer Smith; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
Terry's viewing is planned for Saturday, Nov. 4 from 1:00-3:00 at Mt. Olive Baptist Church and will be immediately followed by the funeral service. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be mailed to Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 5599 Hwy. 570, Smithdale, MS, 39664.
In 2002, Terry captured his life in words and concluded: "Life is full of hard work, problems, disappointments, and one crisis after the other, but I have learned you get out of life what you put into it. Also, be proud of where you come from, who you are, and always do your best no matter what your job is. I have tried to instill this in my kids, and their mother and I am very proud of what they have become and what they have achieved. I firmly believe that God has abundantly blessed me and Dianne, not only with three good children and seven wonderful grandchildren, but with a good life."