Terrence Garry Jackson

Terrence (Terry) Garry Jackson

Terry passed away peacefully, on November 8, 2023, encircled in his family’s love.  Beloved husband of 51 years to Stephanie Jackson, proud father to Colin (Amy), Brendan (Jana), Rory Jackson and adoring “Grumpy” to Ryan, Dylan, Sean, Nathan, Taylor and Jaylin.  Loving brother of Margaret Jackson and Cathy Dirksen of Silver Spring Md. and MaryAnn Szwed of Woodbridge, Va.

Terry was born in Washington, DC to Teresa J & Andrew W Jackson.  He graduated from St John’s College High School and continued his education at the University of Virginia and Washington & Lee School of Law, graduating in 1975 with a Juris Doctor.

Terry clerked for Judge Walter Yeagley of the DC Court of Appeals before beginning a distinguished career of 37 ½-years as an attorney with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the General Counsel, ultimately serving as Deputy Assistant General Counsel.  He was responsible for all legal work associated with some of the most consequential programs of that Department.  His work largely focused on all programs supporting production agriculture, including the very complicated dairy, peanut, and tobacco programs.  He also was responsible for the legal work associated with some of the most important federal conservation programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program.

Because of his expertise, in the mid-1990s, he was a member of the delegation of the United States Government to the international trade negotiations in agriculture at the World Trade Organization.  His focus there were the terms of market access for imports of tobacco and tobacco products into the United States.

Approximately every five years, Terry also played a seminal role in advising members of Congress and their staffs in the drafting and enactment of the Farm Bill, the foundation legislation for all federal agriculture programs. 

His peers recognized Terry not only for his extensive substantive knowledge, but also for his particular creativity in addressing unique legal issues.  Perhaps most noteworthy was the analysis he personally developed surrounding the implementation of legislation imposing billions of dollars of assessments on manufacturers of tobacco products.  His analysis survived withering challenges from some of the largest tobacco interests in the United States, resulting in enormous benefits for the American taxpayer.

Quirky in all the best ways, Terry had a wry wit, a love of storytelling and writing, and became a “published” author on Amazon.  Terry had a distinctive style of conversation and even dress.  He was a public transport aficionado who never passed up the opportunity to study, and use, public transport all over the world. He was an avid Fantasy Baseball Manager who maintained a large circle of friends dating back to his high school and elementary school days.

Celebration of Life to be held at a time and date to be announced.  In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to SOAR (Save Our Aging Religious) soar-usa.org or the American Cancer Society in memory of Terry.  Everly Wheatley Funeral Home in Alexandria, VA handled the arrangements.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Terrence Garry Jackson, please visit our floral store.