LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION mourning the death of Mrs. Willie Gene Terry,
distinguished citizen and devoted member of her community

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to
citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor
served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and the great
State of New York; and
WHEREAS, Willie Gene Terry of Jamaica, New York, died on Tuesday,
February 5, 2013, at the age of 101; born Willie Gene Owens in Talbot
County, Georgia, on June 30, 1911, she was the youngest daughter of the
late Sarah Buchanan Owens and the late Job Owens; and
WHEREAS, The twelfth of thirteen children, Willie Gene Owens belonged
to a lineage of industrious, ambitious, God-loving people; and
WHEREAS, During the span of her 101 years, Willie Gene Terry was a
witness to a multitude of historic moments; as a native of rural Geor-
gia, she would come to know intimately segregation, sharecropping and
Jim Crow; and
WHEREAS, Willie Gene Terry lived through eleven wars, the Great
Depression and the Great Migration of Black Families from the South to
the North; she also witnessed the creation of Social Security and the
passage of the Civil Rights Act, and was alive when women won the right
to vote in 1920; and
WHEREAS, Growing up, Willie Gene Terry was nicknamed Zip because she
moved quickly and was a fast learner; she loved cooking, baking, garden-
ing, reading, attending church revivals and teaching other young people;
and
WHEREAS, In Georgia, educational opportunities were limited to people
residing in rural communities, and Willie Gene Terry completed the
eighth grade which was the highest level of education available to her
at the time; because she loved to learn, she willingly attended the
eighth grade for a second time to satisfy her thirst for knowledge; and
WHEREAS, In 1933, Willie Gene Owens married Otis Franklin Terry of
Manchester, Georgia; together they raised five daughters; and
WHEREAS, After the death of her husband in August of 1968, Willie Gene
Terry moved to New York City where she worked as a pastry chef at Queens
College; in 1969, she joined the Allen A.M.E. Church in Jamaica, New
York, where she served as the Vice President of the Get Together Club,
and was a member of the Willing Workers Club; in both clubs, she baked
cakes and pastries to help support the church and surrounding community;
and
WHEREAS, Willie Gene Terry, "Granny," as she was affectionately known
to both old and young, was a pillar of strength for her family, a role
model in the community, and a counselor to many; she was most often
recognized for her thought-provoking words of wisdom, her soul-satisfy-
ing meals and for her love of flowers and plants; and
WHEREAS, Willie Gene Terry distinguished herself in her profession and
by her sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of
her community; and
WHEREAS, Willie Gene Terry's commitment to excellence, and her spirit
of humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including char-
itable and civic endeavors; and
WHEREAS, Predeceased by her husband, Otis, and daughters, Frances and
Shirley, Willie Gene Terry is survived by her daughters, Estha, Larceria
and Sara, as well as her nine grandchildren, Michael, Gary, Monica,
Shanta, David, Kisha, Camir, Sandor, and Darryl, along with 15 great-
grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and a host of extended family
members and friends; and

WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of
compassion, Willie Gene Terry leaves behind a legacy which will long
endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all
she served and befriended; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of Mrs. Willie Gene Terry, distinguished citizen and
devoted member of her community; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Willie Gene Terry.