Born March 15, 1934
Bronxville, New York
Died July 14, 2024
Springfield, Vermont
Details of services
Please follow the link for information regarding a Celebration of Life in his honor: https://www.davismemorialchapel.net/obituary/charles-terry-gulick-iii
Charles “Terry” B. Gulick, III of Springfield, Vermont passed away peacefully while surrounded by loving friends and family on July 14, 2024. He was 90 years old.
When Terry stepped onto Vermont soil as a young boy in Springfield, his whole heart belonged here, and this is where he always called home throughout his life no matter where he was living, working, or traveling. He loved Vermont and was an endless encyclopedia of facts and interesting anecdotes about this great state. Terry’s connections across Vermont were wide, and deep, and varied over his 90 years but they were all connected to the land, plants, trees, farming, or music. His detailed memory of events and people over his 90 years survived his entire life.
Music was always in his life. He was accomplished at piano, trombone, and bass viol. He and his younger brother, Robert, played together when they were young, performing around the Springfield area. Terry played in the army band at Fort Knox when he was drafted and he also played with the Springfield Town Band. You could often find him playing background piano at Cedar Hill or other places around the area into his late 80’s. He gave his last public performance of piano at the Coolidge Historical Site on Grace Coolidge’s grand piano, less than one month ago on June 23rd.
As a child he learned to garden with his Mother and about dairy farming by helping the next door neighbor with milking cows and other chores around their farm. This was the beginning that provided the direction for his life. Terry continued to work building and maintaining gardens for people until he was 88 years old.
He joined the agriculture-focused fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho when he started at UNH. He stayed connected and very active with the fraternity until his death. He even helped to found the UVM chapter of AGR in 1961.
Terry had a myriad of hobbies including the collecting of license plates, coins, stamps, and even barbed wire. The reclamation of the American Chestnut tree was also a true passion. He was very active with The American Chestnut Foundation and was a founding member of the Vermont/New Hampshire chapter. “Terry was a gentle soul and a driving force in the early days of the VT/NH chapter of TACF. He brought the “exhibit” everywhere he could and I can’t think about the VT Farm Show without thinking of him…especially when it was still held in Barre! For those who never had occasion to phone him, Terry’s answering machine was a constantly updated report of where he was and what outdoor tasks he was working on. If the sun was up you rarely caught him at home.” – Kendra Collins, Director at TACF
Terry was very active with the Vermont Farm Bureau. He was a fieldman in the 70’s and continued as a very active member his entire life including as board member of the Windsor County Farm Bureau. He worked for the Vermont Extension service for years; was very active in 4H; and a member of the Green Mountain Club. He also did a stint as the Director of Student Activities at Castleton State College in the 60’s.
Even Terry’s politics were centered on helping farmers. He was an active member of the GOP and was proud to have met and known every governor of the state of Vermont over the last 60+ years. He especially enjoyed driving Gov. Johnson around the state during one of his campaigns. His connection to politics began when he met a soon-to-be family friend, John Coolidge. Terry’s father, Charles, met John as a client and they quickly became friends. Terry was very proud to have helped John restart the Plymouth cheese factory in 1960. Just 10 days before he died he was at the 4th of July celebration with the Coolidges at the historical site and was still planning to participate in some way at the re-enactment of Calvin Coolidge’s swearing in and other upcoming events.
Terry cared deeply about children. He opened his heart and his life to many kids that needed help, connection, and caring. He invited several kids to live with him during difficult times in their lives and all of them have shared what a difference that made for them. He was connected to the Kurn Hattin Homes for Children where he volunteered for decades to help in every way he could. He read to the smaller children, did some tutoring, and maintained the campus gardens to perfection. He often stayed connected to the kids after they left Kurn Hattin to offer support and advice. There are many that recall a special piano accompaniment with Janet Wilson at a talent show that moved the hearts of all those in attendance. He was volunteering in the greenhouses through this Spring and attended the graduation on June 8th.
Terry Gulick made a difference. He meaningfully touched the lives of so many people it is impossible to capture in this short summary. He was a model of what is possible when you open up your heart, home, and give your time to children and other important causes. Supporting each and working toward the betterment of the world in some way.
We miss you, Terry. You are Loved and Forever in our Hearts.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Charles “Terry” B. Gulick III.