In Memory of AAGD Member Howard Terrillion
Howard John “Jack” Terrillion passed on December 6, 2023 in Dallas, TX surrounded by his loving family. Born October 2, 1931 in Woods Mills, NY, Jack grew up on a dairy farm in Carthage, NY and graduated from Carthage High School in 1949. He joined the US Marine Corps in 1950 during the Korean Conflict and was honorably discharged as Sergeant in the Marines elite Force Recon in 1953.
He married Carol Clifford in 1953, and raised two children with her, Stephen and Susan Terrillion. They divorced in 1988. In 1954 he attended Utica College of Syracuse University, majoring in Business Administration. As an undergraduate, Jack was president of Student Senate and the Delta Phi Sigma fraternity, and graduated Cum Laude in 1958, and then earned an MBA from Syracuse University in 1959.
Jack then joined the General Electric Company in their elite Marketing Training Program and held positions of increasing responsibility in sales and marketing in their major appliance division. In 1967 he became the first Marketing Manager of a General Electric joint venture, General Aircon, Ltd., in Tokyo, Japan, which built and marketed GE air conditioners throughout the Far East. Upon his return from Japan in 1971, he became National Sales Manager for GE and in 1973 he joined the Admiral Group of Rockwell International. He later worked for the Tappan Company as Vice President and held senior marketing positions with Intext and Solar Industries. In 1984, Jack came to Dallas to join Litex Industries as Vice President of Sales, from which he retired in 1995. Here he met his 30+ year companion, Christiane Hepfer and became father to his second daughter, Maxine M. Hepfer.
Jack was active in real estate investment and he owned and managed multiple residential rental properties. He was on the Board of Directors of the Dallas Apartment Association as well as both the Board of the Texas and the National Apartment Association. In 2006 he was awarded the Association's first ever Paragon Award for the most outstanding Independent Rental Owner and Manager in America.
Mr. Terrillion was a lifelong reading enthusiast and an ardent supporter of the performing arts, theatre, and music, especially the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He travelled extensively throughout the world and visited over 40 countries and 110 cities overseas. In 2004 he was selected to be on the Board of Trustees at Utica University, the first UU alumni to be selected from Texas. In 2018, following a lifetime of support to his alma mater, he received the Pioneer Legacy Award from Utica University.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Terrillion and father Lhyle Terrillion and his brother, Bruce Terrillion who also passed in 2023. He is survived by his beloved friend and companion of many years Christiane Hepfer of Dallas, and by his children: Stephen Terrillion of Vienna, VA, Susan Terrillion of Olney, Md, and Maxine Hepfer of Menlo Park, CA. Also, by grandchildren Ryan Terrillion, Roshan Jude, Noah Terrillion and Keira Terrillion, and great-grandson Apollo Terrillion. He is also survived by his brother Mark Terrillion of Covington, Louisiana.
Kindly direct any memorial considerations to Utica University in the name of Howard John “Jack” Terrillion at https://www.utica.edu/advance/donate.cfm
