Terry Clarence Tripp

Terry Clarence Tripp died peacefully in his Elberton, GA home just before dawn on Monday, January 4, 2021, with his wife and son by his side. Following a 13 year struggle with Parkinson’s disease, Terry is finally free. He was 69.

An Eastman, Georgia native, Terry was born on April 28, 1951, one of three children of the late Willie Clarence Tripp and Myrtle Roland Tripp. He was a 1969 graduate of Dodge County High School and furthered his education at Middle George College. Terry transferred to the University of Georgia where he graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Education and Zoology.

On June 4, 1972, in Central Baptist Church Eastman, he married the former Harriett Morris, and she would become his best friend, wife, confidant, and caretaker over a marriage that spanned nearly 49 years. They were blessed to become the proud parents of Anna Nikole “Niki” Tripp in 1976 and Matthew Adam Tripp in 1980.

In 1975, “Mr. Tripp” accepted a position teaching science with the Elbert County Board of Education. His career began at Elbert County High School, and two years later, he transferred to Elbert County Middle School from which he would ultimately retire. At the time of his retirement in 2008, after 33 years of dedicated service, Terry was head of the Science Department and leader of Team 7-2. Mr. Tripp served as advisor of the ECMS Beta Club for many years, and always made sure the concession stand at all of the basketball games were adequately prepared for. He loved teaching each and everyone of his students.

Mr. Tripp was proud of his work through the Northeast Georgia Cooperative Education Service Agency which helped develop an elective course devoted to the History of the ‘60s, an era in which he was proud to have grown up in. He was honored to be selected by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in the late 1980s to serve on Project 2061. During this time, Terry, along with a group of other educators from across the nation, worked to prepare benchmarks for math and science.

Mr. Tripp was a member of First Baptist Church of Elberton and will also be remembered from working in the Sporting Goods Department at Elberton WalMart.

In his downtime, Terry enjoyed traveling. He enjoyed spending time at the beach and working in his flower beds. He was an avid music fan (especially Rock ’n Roll!) and enjoyed sharing his knowledge of musical trivia. Mr. Tripp was a lover of all literature who enjoyed writing short stories and poems, some of which had been published.

Regretfully, he leaves behind his wife Harriett Tripp, his son Matthew Tripp and his wife Aidan, his brother Randy K. Tripp, and his niece, Dawn Forbes; however, he is happy to be reunited with his parents and his daughter Niki.

Those wishing to pay their respects to Mr. Tripp may do so at Berry Funeral Home on Friday, January 8, from 9:00a.m.-5:00p.m. and on Saturday, January 9, from 9:00a.m.-1:00p.m. Due to COVID-19, a private memorial service will be held.

Flowers are accepted and the family encourages those wishing to do so to make a contribution in his memory to the Elbert County Public Library, 345 Heard Street, Elberton, GA 30635, which was very near and dear to Terry’s heart.

Condolences may be sent online at www.berryfh.com.

Berry Funeral Home & Crematory of Elberton is respectfully in charge of arrangements for Mr. Terry Clarence Tripp.