Terrys younger sister Kathryn was sadly overseas at the time of his death and funeral. She emailed this eulogy and it was delivered by her son Tim Abbotts
The loss of Terry has been all the more difficult as I am so far away and feel I should be there. But as is the case with Terry he was quite adamant before I went away that if anything happened I was not to come home. This has been a difficult decision as I would dearly love to be there with you to share in the remembrance of Terry’s life.
I have many fond memories of Terry and even as we travel around we often refer to things that he said or did that remind us of him. He always had so many witty comments and one liners – he actually could have made a career out of being a comedian.
Terry was extremely talented at so many things and as he often would say “not a problem I’ll just dury rig something up” and more often than not the problem would be fixed and look like a professional had done it. We could never have survived our little jaunt on the property at Gleniffer without his skill and expertise. Terry was so much like dad in this regard – both able to do anything that needed to be done but never making a big fuss about it.
Like dad, Terry was always happy to sit for hours and listen to your problems, or have a chat, or just pass the time of day. He always seemed to have a way of making a problem seem so much smaller than it really was and he was always there to lend a hand, give advice or just support you even if he didn’t agree with what you were doing . He always found a humorous side to any problem or had a funny comment to make you laugh.
Terry’s care for mum and dad in the final years of their lives was exceptional and was above and beyond what any parent would have expected from their children. Terry was selfless in his care and we will never forget this dedication and commitment. I am sure Terry would never have looked to have been put on a pedestal for his efforts but in my eyes that’s what he deserved.
To Renee and Dylan, my love and thoughts are with you- you should be very proud to have had a father like Terry- just as he was so very proud of both of you and always looked forward to spending time with you.
To Debbie, thank you for your amazing strength and support for Terry, especially over the past months. From that first night when he met you in Bellingen his world always lit up when you were around. You have become a part of our family and always will be.
To Gav, you were a great mate to Terry and he held you in high regard. Your friendship and support for Terry will always be appreciated . You always stood by him and epitomised the true meaning of “mate”.
So Terry, this is my goodbye but not farewell – you will always be present in my life through my memories of you. You showed us how to live life –it’s not about how long you live but how much of an impact you make. I know you’ll be with me when I find myself “doing a TERRY “.
As I travel in France I can think of no better tribute than to toast Terry’s life with a fine bottle of red.
All my love. Kathryn