Terry Richard Hutchins Jr

Terry Richard Hutchins Jr., 63, of Pilot Mountain, NC, passed away on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Forsyth Medical Center, after a brief and unexpected battle with cancer.

On April 18, 1961, “Little Terry” became the first of Terry Hutchins and Nora Nixon’s six children, as well as their only son. Early in Terry's childhood, the family moved to Maxton, NC, and ultimately Laurinburg, NC, where he graduated from Scotland High School, as a member of the Class of 1979. After high school, Terry attended UNC Greensboro for a year, before deciding to put his studies on hold, in favor of career opportunities in Laurinburg. In 1981, Terry married his high school sweetheart, Donna Payne. On October 19, 1982, the newlyweds became proud parents of a daughter, Brandy Nicole. Shortly after the birth of his eldest daughter, Terry enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he excelled in the nuclear power program. This career change brought Terry's young family to the Portsmouth, Virginia, area, where on December 2, 1985, Terry and Donna welcomed a second daughter to the family, Katherine Danielle.

Over the next several years, Terry rose to the rank of Chief Petty Officer and traveled the world -- several times over, in fact -- aboard the USS Eisenhower, and USS Emory S. Land. However, in 1991, after 8 years of service, Terry decided not to re-enlist, as he and his second wife Gina McLean were due to welcome a son to the family, that fall. However, on July 17, 1991, six weeks ahead of schedule, the couple welcomed Terry Hutchins III, who they nicknamed "Trey." Following his honorable discharge from the Navy, Terry found employment in the nuclear power industry, most notably with the company Man Power, during the early 1990s. In the mid 1990s, however, Terry discovered a relatively new and growing technical field that captured his interest -- mechatronics. He quickly earned the credentials necessary to enter the field as a technician for Ansell in Dothan, Alabama.

On April 18, 1996, Terry married Brenda Sue Clevenger, who like Terry, also had three children from earlier relationships: George "Skeet" Clevenger, Chloe Marie Pugh, and Holly Michelle Crawford. However, Terry never thought of his new wife's son and daughters as stepchildren. In fact, when asked how many children he had, he would always proudly proclaim, "Six!" Over the subsequent two decades, Terry continued to make a name for himself as an excellent addition to any company that was lucky enough to hire him, a sentiment that I'm sure his colleagues at Piedmont Automation would echo. However, his pride in his work was nothing compared to his pride in his role as a grandfather, or "Poppy," to nearly twenty grandchildren.

Terry is survived by his wife, Brenda; his father, Terry Hutchins Sr; his mother, Nora Nixon Hall; his stepmother, Mona Hutchins; his sisters, Kim Martin, Sherry Hutchins Turner, Amber Hutchins, Kristy Stone, and Stephanie Jenkins; his brothers-in-law Skip Martin, James Gibson, Tim Stone, and Tony Jenkins; his daughters, Brandy Butcher, Chloe West, Danielle Shaw, and Holly Crawford; his sons, Skeet Clevenger, and Terry "Trey" Hutchins III; his grandsons, Justin Mosbaugher, Hunter Jones, Alec Shaw, Levin Cook, Bradley Shaw, Ethen Quesenberry, Cayden Clausen, Bryan Clausen, Landon Hutchins, and Chase Butcher; his granddaughters, Jordan Messick, Hayden Clevenger, Claire and Christine Butcher, Lydia Shaw, and Harper Hutchins; his many nephews and nieces; two great-grandchildren, Kinsley and Rebecca Messick; and his much beloved great-niece, Megan Lang.

A memorial service for Terry will be held at Cox-Needham Funeral Home at 822 W Main St, Pilot Mountain NC on Friday, May 17th, 2024, at 2:00pm. The family invites all who knew and loved Terry to attend, as they honor his life and legacy.

Cox-Needham Funeral Home is respectfully serving the Hutchins family. 

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