Terry Lee Hackney

September 8, 1937 - July 22, 2024

On Monday afternoon, July 22, 2024, in Petersburg, TN, the Golden Gates of Heaven opened for Terry Lee Hackney to walk through to meet his Lord and Savior.

Terry was born on September 8, 1937, in Carrboro, NC, to the late Troy L. and Emma Potts Hackney. He was preceded in death by his brother, Alvin and his sister, Jeanette Hackney Glosson. 

Left to his cherish precious and fun memories: his wife of 65 years, Barbara Bruton Hackney, his two sons: Terry Paul Hackney and Cythian Matthews, Angier, NC, and Michael Bruton Hackney and wife, Renee Harding Hackney, Petersburg, TN; granddaughters: Samantha Hackney Hill (Dan) Port St. Lucie, Fla.; Amber Nicole Hackney, Spring Lake, NC; Joy Jackson (Chris), Franklin, TN.; great-grandsons, Carter and Gunner Jackson of Franklin TN, and Hudson and Tanner Hill of Port St. Lucia, Fla. Also, his brother, Leon Hackney and wife, Judy of Pittsboro, NC; many nieces and nephews; and his little Yorkie, Max.

Terry entered the funeral profession when he was 18 years old in Chapel Hill, NC. When he and Barbara married in 1959, they moved to Cary, NC. He began working for one of the oldest, well-known funeral homes – Brown Wynne Funeral Home, Raleigh, NC. In 1960-1961, he attended and graduated from Echols College of Mortuary Science in Philadelphia. In 1961, he became a licensed Funeral Director. In 1970 he was promoted to Vice President and opened the Cary Brown Wynne Funeral Home where he served for over 50 years.

Terry Hackney was dedicated to his career of being a Funeral Director because he had a strong desire to serve those in their time of grief. When he met with the family who had just lost a loved one, he brought calmness to them and helped them through the process of making the arrangements. During and after the funeral, he was there for them, calling them to see if he could be of further assistance.

When asked if he would change anything in his life, he said he would do it all over again. He cherished the many friendships he made through his career as being the one who helped them in their time of need as well as just being their friend. He loved working with all the ministers of all churches, and he received much guidance from them.

Serving others was his motto and it was carried out in the many civic activities in which he was involved, such as Master of the Cary Masonic Lodge, a member of several committees for the Cary Centennial, the Rotary Club of Cary, President of the Cary Chamber of Commerce, Cary’s Outstanding Young Man of the Year, founder of the Cary DeMolay, Vice President of the Capital Funeral Association, Vice President of Cary Industrial Corporation and being on the Administrative Boards with his churches in Cary and Fuquay Varina. He was also involved with Military Missions in Actions helping with many renovations to veterans’ homes, this gave him such deep satisfaction. 

Terry loved the Lord, and he also loved his family dearly: the many vacations together, helping Paul with the Boy Scout Soap Box Derby and Indian Guides with Michael. He enjoyed the many lunches he had with Al and Randy in Dorchess. He was an avid fisherman as well a lover of the golf game. Most of all he enjoyed spending time with Barbara, walking their dogs. He did not ask for much except to be loved and he was by everyone who knew him. To know him was to love him. 

When talking with Terry about the final stage of life, he would tell us: “That’s life; that’s just a part of life. God did not put us here forever”! He was right! Our family lost a great man, but Heaven gained another Angel. 

Celebration of Life Services will be held on Friday evening, August 2, 2024 at 6:30 pm at the Cross Country Cowboy Church in Columbia, TN and on Sunday afternoon, August 25, 2024 at 3:00 pm in the Chapel of Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary, NC. Family will receive friends following within the Hackney Reception Room.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are preferred to either the Cross Country Cowboy Church - 1809 Bear Creek Pike - Columbia, TN 38401 (https://crosscountrychurch.tv/give/); Gentiva Hospice - 305 1/2 S. Jackson Street - Tullahoma, TN 37388 (www.gentivahs.com/about/donate/); Military Missions in Action - 411 N. Judd Pkwy NE - Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 (www.militarymissionsinaction.org/donate); or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org).

If you would like to leave a favorite memory/story of Terry or a message of condolence to his wife, Barbara and family, you may do so below within "Add a Memory".

Brown-Wynne Funeral Home in Cary, North Carolina and Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home in Nashville, Tennessee are honored to serve the Hackney Family.