OBITUARY: Terence ‘Terry’ Neil Fails Sr.

Terence “Terry” Neil Fails Sr., age 93, passed away peacefully on July 12, 2024 in Nashville surrounded by his loved ones.

Terry was born in Washington, DC on May 18, 1931, to Navy LCDR Herman Theodore Fails and Nellie Hopton Fails.

Terry had one sibling Gerald “Jerry” Lee Fails. Both lettered in multiple sports at University City High School in St. Louis MO.

Terry played SEC football for the Vanderbilt Commodores, enjoying membership in Phi Delta Theta fraternity and great friendship with Commodores basketball star, Bobby Thym. Terry also played football for the Marine Corps teams during two years of service in the USMC. The Philadelphia Eagles with the 225th overall pick in the 1955 NFL Draft selected Terry. He graciously declined to report. After graduating Vanderbilt in 1955, Terry found employment as a broker at A.G. Edwards.

Mr. Fails was married in 1963 to Julia Garth Fort until divorce in 1973. They had two children Terence Neil Fails Jr (Gwen Allen) and Garth Fort Fails (Holly Ferguson), and grandchildren Garth Fort Fails Jr. and Elijah Harrison Fails. Terry married Katherine Elizabeth Lindsay in 1976 and they were married 25 years until her passing. Katherine’s daughter Mebbie Jackson (Jesse Williams) and granddaughters Bailey Adele Ewan and Alexa Ewan Shell (Cody) remained part of Terry’s life. Terry is also survived by his three nieces Terry Vartanyan, Heidi Hamilton and Erica Johnson,

Terry was a “character with character”. He loved dove hunting, duck hunting and fishing trips with friends and family. Happiest on the golf course, Terry was a member of Hillwood Country Club in Nashville for 29 years and adored all his golfing buddies. After leaving Nashville, he and Katherine settled first at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head SC, then at Bent Pine Golf Club in Vero Beach, FL.

Terry later found great joy with and is survived by his longtime companion Jane Burkhart.

Terry’s family would like to thank the caring staffs of Clarendale at Bellevue Place, The Health Center at Richland Place and the caregivers from Bluebird Homecare.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice.

Mr. Fails will be inurned next to his beloved wife, Katherine Lindsay Fails, in the Highland Memorial Cemetery in Knoxville, TN on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time. The Fails Family will host a Celebration of Life Service at the Hilton in Green Hills, 3801 Cleghorn Ave. Nashville, TN. 37215, on Saturday, August 3, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Funeral Arrangements entrusted to Marshall-Donnelly-Combs Funeral Home. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/nashville-tn

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