Historical Lehi
Terrys honored for service, sacrifice in line of duty
Staff Writer | Lehi Historical Society
Harold and Karen Terry met at Lehi High School during early morning marching band practices. They both played the trumpet, so they sat in the same section and became friends. Harold was a junior and Karen a freshman. When they got married in February of 1973, they made Lehi their home.
In 1992, Harold went through the police academy and began working for the Lehi Police Department (LPD). He held many ranks starting with officer, then moving to corporal, sergeant, lieutenant and captain. For several years, he represented the Lehi Police Department as a member of the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, a county-wide task force primarily responsible for narcotics investigations.
During his time at the LPD, he received several awards for his outstanding work, including officer of the year from the Utah Narcotics Association in 1999. He also taught a class on the dangers of drugs and alcohol at Lehi High School. In April 2008, he received his MBA from Anaheim University.
On June 23, 2008, Harold was shot in the line of duty while assisting fellow officers in a traffic stop. Because of quick action from his fellow police officers, doctors and Harold’s stubbornness, his life was saved. The incident, however, brought an end to his career in law enforcement. He continues to work to get better every day.
After the shooting, the community came together for the Terry family. “We are forever grateful for everyone who reached out and helped in any way possible,” said Karen. “That was a very difficult time for our family and having the support of the police department, Lehi City and the citizens of Lehi helped us through. It let Harold know that he was appreciated for his sacrifice.”
In 2012, Harold and Karen were the grand marshals of the Lehi Round-Up Grand Parade. They were honored to be a part of the celebration they attended each year as children and later with their own children. In 2014, Lehi City named a street near the old police department just off State Street after Harold called Harold Terry Circle. “That is such an honor for both of us,” said Karen. “We love the community we were raised in and continue to live in.”
Harold Von Terry was born in Tooele to Merlin and Marba Terry and was raised in Lehi. He is the second oldest of eight children. His father, Merlin, worked for Kennecott and his mother was a stay-at-home mom.
Karen Brown was born in Provo and raised in Lehi. She is the second oldest of four children. Her father, Kenneth Brown, was a brick layer, and her mother, Nita Brooks Brown, was a stay-at-home mom.
Karen was also a stay-at-home mom for the first few years of their marriage. She worked at the Utah Developmental Center in American Fork for a couple of years and later at Kencraft as a decorator. Her greatest joy, though, was being a mother and raising their six children.
The couple celebrated 52 years of marriage in February and look forward to many more. They are the parents of Malissa (Rich) Evans, Justin (Crystal) Terry, Candie (Sean) Smith, Sabrina (Justin) Woody, Rusty (Jessica) Terry and Jackie (Zach) Blackburn. They have 11 grandchildren.
The Terrys enjoy camping with family and friends, especially at Strawberry Reservoir where they also enjoy eating dinner at Daniels Summit Lodge. Today, their favorite thing to do is cruise, which they do at least once every year.
