Terry Smith

Terry Austin Smith

Terry Smith, 68, of Abilene, Texas passed away on April 24, 2024 at his home in Abilene.

Visitation will be held at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road from 2 to 4pm on Sunday, April 28, 2024.

A tribute to his life will be held on Monday, April 29th, at 11:00 am at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church with Dr. Jeff Reid and Dr. John Whitten officiating. Services are under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home.

Terry was born in Sweetwater, Texas to Frank Austin and Patsy Smith on December 6, 1955. He went to school in Abilene and graduated from Abilene High School and Hardin-Simmons University. On September 12, 1981, Terry married his one true love, Tonya, at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church in Abilene. He was a homebuilder for 20 years and was honored to be voted Homebuilder of the Year by his fellow homebuilders in 1985. Terry and Tonya were a talented team for homebuilding. Terry built quality homes and Tonya used her gift for interior design to make his homes beautiful on the inside and staged to sell. For the last 24 years of his career, Terry was a Regional Administrator for The State of Texas, HHSC.

Terry was truly a man of God. He began his service in the church in 1979 when he became Leader of the Single Adult Sunday School Department (over one hundred members) at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. He taught Sunday School for 20 years and was an extraordinarily gifted teacher of the Bible. He began each class with II Peter 3:18, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen."

Terry was preceded in death by his father, Frank Austin Smith.

Terry is survived by his wife, Tonya, his mother, Patsy Smith, his children Robin Buckner (Micah), Todd Blackburn, and Taylor Smith (Kayla), his sister, Rhonda Walston (Mike), and five grandchildren, Austin Buckner, Memphis Buckner, Charlotte Buckner, Addison Smith, and Maddox Smith.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Pioneer Drive Baptist Church (Pioneer Possibilities), The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741, or WTRC Hospice of the Big Country.

The family of Terry Smith wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Hospice of the Big Country for their excellent care and compassion and to Dr. Marla Knight for her help in being our medical advocate.