Roll Call Tribute

Terry King Fleming
September 4, 1947 - June 16, 2021

Terry King Fleming was born to Sam and Kathy Fleming in Brownwood, Tx, Sept. 4, 1947. He started his early education in Brownwood until he and his parents moved to Ft. Worth where his dad owned an auto dealership and his mother was a special education teacher. After finishing freshman year at Paschal HS, the family moved to Amarillo where Terry attended and graduated from Amarillo Tascosa HS in 1965. His college days began as a member of Corps of Cadets at TX A&M, where his goal was to become an Air Force pilot. However, it was learned that his vision would not allow him to fly. Vision problems would haunt him for the rest of his life. From there he attended and graduated from TCU in Ft. Worth. From TCU he went directly to St. Mary's School of Law in San Antonio. Before starting the last semester of law school, a few classmates ahead of Terry encouraged him to take the State Bar exam with them "just for practice," they said. Of the group of 5 who took the bar exam, Terry was the only one to pass and earn his law license. During those days, he was able to go to work as an attorney for the Tarrant County District Attorney's office, while finishing his degree at SMU in Dallas. Eventually, he grew disenchanted with prosecuting and opened a private practice in Ft. Worth.

After two marriages ending in divorce and one child, in 1978 he met his wife of 42 years, along with her preschool daughter. It was "love at second sight," and they were married in 1979 after only 4 months of dating. Together they had one more child to complete the "his, hers, and theirs" family.

During his lifetime he was a very gregarious, outgoing, totally unpretentious person who never met a stranger. He was an honest, ethical, and hardworking lawyer who used his occupation to help people, including those in need of his services pro bono. He loved dogs, boating, travel, cars, music, football and football gambling, and most of all his family.

One of his greatest accomplishments was making legal history when he fought the battle to prevent the Texas Railroad Commission from issuing a permit to allow a salt water injection well in Hood County, on the site of what is now Revolver Brewery. This win helped other small Texas counties to stop the problems created by the construction of injection wells.

Left to cherish his memory is wife Elaine Fleming, daughters Katie Fleming, Nicole Fleming, and Samantha Wray; grandchildren Michael and Sara Graham, Spencer and Chandler Mars, and Ian Rodriguez, along with his adorable Frenchie, Babs.

A small private memorial is planned in July. Any memorials can be made in Terry's name to Cancer Research or to Foundation for the blind and will be sincerely appreciated.

© 2021 by Hood County News Obituaries