Victim of Midtown KC stabbing was father of 5 daughters. ‘He loved us so well’
Weeks after a loving father was killed in Midtown Kansas City, his family remembers the joy he brought to everyone’s lives.
Jerry Terry, 62, was a father of five daughters, and was known for being a jokester, said his daughter Christy Terry.
People would joke that he always had his hands full being around so many women, Christy Terry said. But he absolutely loved it, she said.
“When we were little, he was really intentional,” Christy Terry said. “I have memories of us going on daddy daughter dates. Even though there was five of us, he would take us on our own individual dates to, you know, the park, or whatever it may be.”
Officers with the Kansas City Police Department responded to a reported cutting around 6:45 a.m. on 34th Street and Broadway Boulevard June 12. They found Jerry Terry dead in a parking lot with multiple chest and neck wounds, according to court documents.
According to a probable cause statement, police did not find any defensive wounds on Jerry Terry’s body, which pointed to a surprise attack. The injuries led investigators to believe he was attacked from behind, knocked down, then stabbed in the chest.
That information is speculative, investigators said in the statement, but consistent with his injuries.
A man has been charged with murder in connection with his death.
Father who was ‘deeply loved’
Christy Terry said the family was shocked by the violent nature of her father’s death, and wants people to know he was a son, brother, father and grandfather who was deeply loved.
He had become a grandfather in just recent months, and his face lit up whenever he talked about his grandchildren, Christy Terry said.
Some of his family lives in Texas, and others were in New York. Jerry Terry had planned to move to New York to be closer to family but was living with a friend in Kansas City at the time of his death, Christy Terry said.
Jerry Terry lived around Austin, Texas for many years where he ran a successful landscaping business. Christy Terry said her father loved the city and contributing to its beauty.
She said she remembers he had a great relationship with his clients and anyone he did business with.
“We’ve heard a lot from people that we went to church with growing up who said they remember my dad being the ‘fun dad’ and how they never felt intimidated by him when they were little because he was just very sweet,” Christy Terry said.
Another big part of Jerry Terry’s life was his love for the outdoors. All of his siblings and children have fond memories of enjoying scenic hikes and camping trips with him, Christy Terry said.
In an online obituary, family said Jerry Terry was a strong character who brought laughter to every room he entered. He was always singing and loved to dance, especially with his daughters and three sisters.
A memorial service is planned for noon June 28 in Amarillo, Texas, according to his online obituary.
Above all, the obituary said, Jerry Terry was an “immensely proud father.”
“He loved us all so much and so well,” Christy Terry said.
This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 11:02 AM.
