VENTURA
JOSEPH ALLEN TERRY 90, of Ventura passed away peacefully of natural causes on 10/28/2013.
Joe was born into an orphanage on July 8, 1923 in Sacramento, California. He was adopted 3 months later by Joe and Minnie Maw Terry of Ventura, California and was raised on the family farm. Joe attended and graduated from Santa Clara Elementary school and Santa Clara high School and later enlisted in the Army where he served in the Philippines on the islands of Leyte and Luzon at the end of WWII. After the end of the war, he was honorably discharged from the army at the rank of sergeant and returned to Ventura to farm with his father.
Joe married Dorothy Moon of Montalvo in 1946. The two celebrated 60 happy years together and raised a family of four children along the way before Dorothy's passing in May 2006. Joe farmed many different crops in various areas of Ventura County. He was an active member of many local farm organizations and cooperatives over the years and served on the executive boards of most of them. He truly believed that the agricultural industry contributed to the uniqueness and the quality of life that we have in this country. The wonder of watching a crop being planted, grown and harvested was never routine with him and being a farmer was not only his occupation, but his avocation as well.
Apart from a passion for agriculture, Joe was also known for his devotion to his family. He was always eager and interested to hear how and what his children, grand-children and great grand-children were doing and enjoyed spending time with family every day. He was always concerned about the well-being of others before himself and constantly wanted to make sure that each family member was happy in life. He was very proud of the lives they created for themselves and always wanted them to do what made them happiest.
Joe was also actively interested in what was going on with the farm and the industry even in his so-called retirement years. We would all await his arrival in the office with the mail each morning, eager to hear what was new with him; he, on the other hand, was more interested in hearing what was happening in the lives of his kids, grandkids and, finally, the farm. Joe loved to go over to the barn and watch Joe, Jr. design and build equipment for the farm and then drive around the fields to watch the crops grow. He loved to see how some aspects of farming had changed and how other parts had still remained the same, even after all his years. Joe's historical knowledge of Ventura County was something that was not lost on any of us. His ability to size things up quickly and make sense of complex issues was a testament to his common sense approach to life and his depression era up-bringing.
Joe is survived by his daughter Claudia Diebolt and son-in-law Jon Korbin of Ventura; son Joe Terry of Ojai; son Edgar and daughter-in-law Martha Terry of Ventura; granddaughters Kureyn and her husband Mike Watson of San Diego; Anna Campbell of Camarillo; Tori Campbell of Walnut Creek; William Terry of Ventura; Alyssa Terry of Ventura; and great grandsons Ben and Brodie Watson of San Diego. He was preceded in death by Linda Terry, daughter, in 2003 and beloved wife Dorothy Terry, in 2006. We are all going to miss him very much.
Joe was a member of Our Lady of the Assumption Church and never missed a Saturday evening mass where he enjoyed participating in worship.
Family and friends are invited to visiting hours Sunday afternoon November 3, 2013 from 3:30 to 5PM, a Rosary will be recited at 4PM in the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME 757 E. Main Street Ventura. Graveside Services will be held at 1PM Monday November 4, 2013 in Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, Ventura. For those the would like to remember Joe, please make a donation to the Ventura County Farm Museum. To leave an online condolence please visit www.ReardonFuneral.com