Terry Lavery

Terry’s Legacy 

Terence Kevin John Lavery was born February 26, 1950, the third of four children of Denis and Katherine (Junge) Lavery. He joined Our Heavenly Father Friday, July 08, 2022, and reunited with his beloved parents, sister (Patricia), brother (Shaun), Mother-in-Law (Betty Alston), and numerous relatives and friends, all of whom he missed and loved so dearly. Terry passed away peacefully in the loving arms of his beloved wife of 49 years, Patricia “Trish”, and surrounded by their children, Stacy (Lewis), Daneka (Sean), Shaun (Lesley); and their 8 grandchildren (Persaus, Casey, Maya, Tatum, Ellie, Ethan, Dean, Porter).

Terry was born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; however, he primarily grew up in Johannesburg as his father was head of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto. Terry’s favorite childhood activities included: bike riding around Emmarentia Ext. dam, participating in various athletic sports, and month-long vacationing at St. Michael’s-on-Sea on the South Coast of KwaZulu-Natal where surfing was highlighted.

Terry attended St. David’s Marist Inanda, a Catholic boys’ school in Johannesburg, through Grade 12. At Marist, Terry engaged in various sports including rugby, cricket, soccer, and most favored, track. Terry trained at and competed internationally for The Wanderers Club, a premier sporting club, and went on to win numerous titles, including in 1966, the 6th fastest 100m in the world. Terry, like his Uncle Tommy who represented South Africa in track in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, was chosen to represent South Africa in the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics, but was unable as South Africa was excluded from participation due their Apartheid practices.

Upon graduation, Terry was conscripted to the South African Air Force in 1969 for a year-long stint. There he continued to compete in track and was given a breeze of a job delivering mail. Well known for his track prowess, Terry was recruited by various USA universities including the University of Washington. Ken Shannon, head track coach for the UW, was persistent in his recruitment of Terry, which led Terry to accept the scholarship and begin a new phase of his life.

Two weeks after Terry’s arrival, on a snowy Tuesday night in December 1970, both he and Trish were separately encouraged by a track team member and his fiancé to come outside and brave the snow as classes would surely be canceled the following day. Fun ensued and Terry soon threw a snowball at Trish. After sharing hot chocolate, a subsequent date was set, and the romance began. Terry and Trish married on September 1, 1973, in their Junior year at the UW, at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Renton, WA. Upon graduation, they moved back to South Africa where Terry worked on his Master’s Degree at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, and Trish worked for Bechtel Industries. Terry and Trish always made time to travel throughout South Africa and, then called, Rhodesia. Eventually, Terry’s USA Visa was approved and they returned to Seattle, Washington.

Terry began his career at Familian Northwest, Inc. in 1976 holding various job capacities including purchasing and sales. The company was owned by the father of his dearest friend, Tom Stern. He served as their Boeing Corporation National Account Manager from 2006, until his retirement in 2016. His greatest joy was working with fellow employees, and the Boeing buyers and plumbers who he developed personal friendships with over the years.

Terry and Trish built 2 homes, ground up, under the guidance of Trish’s father, Bob Alston. Their first home near Lake Washington was completed in time to welcome their first child on March 8, 1978, a daughter they named Stacy Jennifer Lavery. On October 28, 1980, daughter, Daneka Kay Lavery was born, followed by a son, Shaun Casey Lavery, on September 11, 1982. Eventually, that home was sold and a 5-acre plot was purchased on Squak Mountain in Issaquah. There they built their second home and the children commenced school in the Issaquah School District. As the children left home for university, the acreage became a lot to maintain so it was sold and a new home purchased in Meridian Valley Golf and Country Club.

Immediately, Terry and Trish became Proprietary Members of the Golf and Country Club. Terry enjoyed golfing almost daily with his golfing buddies and sported a Handicap of 7.0. Terry also enjoyed all things motorsports, and coaching his kids and grandkids in their athletic endeavors.

Terry and Trish loved to travel and hated that COVID curtailed 2 planned trips; however, over the years they vacationed in South Africa, Namibia, Mexico, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, England, Rio de Janeiro, Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and Alaska.

He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Trish; his children, Stacy Townes (Lewis), Daneka Mackie (Sean), Shaun Lavery (Lesley); his 8 grandchildren, Persaus, Casey, Maya, Tatum, Ellie, Ethan, Dean, Porter; and brother, Rory Lavery (Petra).

In Lieu of Flowers, a tribute gift in memory of Terry Lavery can be made to: 

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance/Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center  https://secure.fredhutch.org

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