George Webster Terrell Jr., accomplished educator of thousands, gifted scholar, international traveler, event planner, decorator (in his words-decorator to the stars), and friend to many, died peacefully in Gadsden surrounded by his family on May 7th, 2024.
He counted teaching as his greatest accomplishment in life.
A 1974 Auburn graduate majoring in history and geography, he taught courses in American history and geography at Gadsden State Community College starting in 1980. He supervised and advised students, was instrumental in helping countless students receive scholarships, and chaired the Honors Committee. As early as 2003, he said, “I am now the department head and am teaching the CHILDREN of folks I have taught.”
Terrell was named the state of Alabama’s Teacher of the Year by the Alabama Education Association. He was also named the Alabama History Teacher of the year.
Many students remarked how interesting his classes were, and that he was their all time favorite teacher.
An expert on many historical periods and elements of the decorative arts, he lectured both domestically and internationally on many topics. His favorites to lecture on were American Victorian furniture, European porcelain, and all things pre-revolutionary Russia.
Terrell was fascinated with the golden era of Hollywood, with a concentrated study on memorabilia and movie-making details related to Gone with the Wind. He had a vast collection of GWTW memorabilia, and counted some original cast members as friends. He often referred to his mind as, … “A full repository of useless information.” He was both winner and runner-up in national Gone with the Wind trivia contests.
Decades in the making, he had personal relationships with many noteworthy people in multiple fields of study, from movie stars to top personnel at museums, including the Boston Museum of Art, the Diamond Fund located in the Kremlin, and with private collectors including the Malcolm Forbes family.
Terrell provided many people the opportunity to travel, by coordinating low-cost trips abroad for decades. Through these trips, many people made lasting friendships, and stayed in touch long after they returned home from their travels. He traveled to China, Russia, South America, and all of Europe. His most frequent destination was Russia which he visited 20 times, and most looked forward to his visits there with his longtime friend Irina Polynina, and her dear family.
While respectful of local guides, sometimes guides turned over their microphones to George, so that he could provide his group with interesting details often unknown by the locals. Once, a guard in the Tower of London who was overheard to say that Terrell knew more about the crown jewels than the resident experts at the tower.
He was a regular speaker at the Belle Mont Mansion house museum in Tuscumbia, AL, where he provided beautiful displays for Belle Mont’s “Art of the Dish” exhibit, and lectured on dining customs of the 19th Century.
In addition to holding leadership positions on numerous educational committees and groups of the Alabama and National Education Associations, Terrell served on the Gadsden Beautification Board, the Board of directors of the Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts, and the floral guild of St. James Catholic Church.
While George Terrell was admired by, and valued by many people, he most valued his family. He was preceded in death by his father, Dr. George W Terrell and his mother, Sarah Evelyne Terrell. He is survived by his sister, Linda Terrell Catron; his niece, Jennifer Catron Uptain (Joe); his great-nephews, Terrell Ross Rickard and William Martin Rickard, and his great-niece, Avery Jayne Uptain.
At George’s request, the family delayed his celebration of life. He wanted them to wait, so people would be happy instead of sad when they remembered him. For those wishing to honor George in some way, the family knew that George would most like donations to be made in his name to a scholarship fund at Gadsden State Community College. He often commented how much he admired older students who went back to school and pursued a degree while maintaining not only a full time job and family responsibilities, but also paying for it themselves, and working classes around their busy schedules. The scholarship recipients will be selected from worthy older students.
George Terrell Jr. scholarship fund at Gadsden State Community College Attn: Jessica Slaten, 1101 George Wallace Drive, Gadsden, AL 35903.
