RICHMOND – Retired University of Maine English Professor and world renowned Ezra Pound Scholar, Carroll Franklin “Terry” Terrell, 86, passed away peacefully on Nov. 29, 2003, at a Bangor hospital after a brief illness. He is survived by his sister, Glenys Lamoreau Brice of Richmond; his aunt, Berneice (Bunny) Terrell of Richmond; nieces and nephews, Van Lowell Terrell of Ellsworth, Dennis Terrell of Gardiner, Sandra Terrell LaChance of Lisbon Falls, Lowell Lamoreau of West Gardiner, Marilyn Lamoreau Stinson of Richmond, Brian Lamoreau of Augusta, Tom Terrell of Portland, Ore., Sonya Terrell Nelson of Cape Coral, Fla., as well as Steve and Kim Terrell of Punta Gorda, Fla.; many great- nieces and great-nephews and a cousin, Phyllis Choate of Richmond. He was predeceased by his brother, Arthur Lowell “Spike” Terrell, whom he missed dearly after his early death in 1979. The family would like to extend special gratitude to Terry’s friend, neighbor and colleague, Professor, Richard Hill; and to his friend colleague and caregiver, Gail Sapiel. The family also wishes to thank neighbor and friend, Pam Peddie; friends, Rolf Estela and Kathleen Lignell Ellis; as well as to Loving Touch, a local home health care agency. Professor Terrell was born on Feb. 21, 1917, in Richmond, and graduated from Richmond High School. He received his undergraduate degree from Bowdoin College in 1940, his master’s degree from the Univ. of Maine in 1950, and his Ph.D. in English from New York University in 1956, writing a dissertation on T.S. Eliot. He began his college teaching career at the University of Maine in 1948, after a short stint teaching in Richmond, on his return from World War II in 1945. He taught full-time at the University until 1982 and part-time until 1988. During World War II, he served as a Captain in the U.S. Army from 1941-1945 and on his return to Richmond, he served briefly as the Commander of the Emerson-Lane American Legion Post No.132. In addition to his lengthy teaching career, Terrell founded and was managing editor of a literary and poetry publication entitled “Paideuma: A Journal Devoted to Ezra Pound Scholarship.” The first issue of Paideuma was published in 1972, and the journal remained a primary publication of Pound’s studies for the next 30 years. While modestly titling himself as only the managing editor, Terrell, in fact, edited “Paideuma” essentially single-handedly until 1988. Professor Terrell also founded the National Poetry Foundation in 1971, where focus also evolved to research and commentary on America’s great poet, Ezra Pound. In 1960, Terrell decided to dedicate the rest of his life to making Pound’s work accessible to readers while persuading the scholarly establishment that Pound deserved a high and permanent place within the Canon of American poetry. Terrell himself eventually became a world-renowned academic authority on Ezra Pound. By the early 1990’s the National Poetry Foundation had also published 13 volumes in the “Man/Woman Poet” series, which included almost 50 titles. By that time the National Poetry Foundation had been named one of 10 “Areas of Excellence” in the University of Maine System. Terrell also made a major contribution to Pound studies by organizing a series of conferences on the poet’s work. These conferences held in 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1990, brought world renowned scholars and poets to the University of Maine in addition to members of Pound’s family. Terrell also organized conferences on such poets as William Carlos Williams, H.D., Marianne Moore, and T.S. Eliot. In 1984, Professor Terrell published the second of two volumes entitled “A Companion to The Cantos of Ezra Pound.” His own essays on Pound are collected in “Ideas in Reaction: Byways to the Pound Arcana.” and he also published three sections of a long poem modeled on “The Cantos,” entitled: “Smoke and Fire, “Rod and Lightning,” and “Dark and Light.” In 1993, he published a memoir of his childhood entitled “Growing up Kennebec: A Downeast Boyhood.” Terrell’s entire adult and professional life was dedicated to the University of Maine and as such Terry was a generous supporter of the University of Maine Foundation. Anyone wishing to make a donation in Terry’s name may do so by sending a check to the University of Maine Foundation, Care of the Carroll F. Terrell Fund. The address is the University of Maine Foundation, Buchanan Alumni Center, Orono, Maine 04469. A family service will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3, at Kincer Funeral Home, 130 Pleasant St., Richmond. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery, Dresden, with military honors. An additional memorial celebration will be scheduled at the University of Maine Alumni Center at Orono. The family will communicate the specifics of this gathering at a later date. For those unable to attend condolences may be expressed at www.kincerfuneralhome.com
CARROLL FRANKLIN TERRELL
