BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — Family and friends gathered together on Saturday afternoon to honor the life of Jesse Terry, who passed away in a motorcycle accident two years ago.
Jesse’s family said he had a bright and prominent spirit.
“He was a hunter, a fisherman. He was avid about anything that had a motor to it,” explained Emily Terry, Jesse’s sister. “He was a jokester, loud, just the life of the party. [There’s] a huge gaping hole in what we had in our family dynamic.”
Jesse’s mother, Carrie Stumpff, said she couldn’t have asked for a better son.
“He was the best son ever. He loved to fix things, help everybody. He was always there if you needed him. He would always talk with his hands when he talked. That was the funniest little thing…I miss him so much.”
His family also said Jesse loved his children with every beat of his heart.
Amie Terry, Jesse’s other sister, shared, “He has four beautiful children and to see him with his kids and the way he interacted with his children and the way he loved them, it was something very, very touching to your heart.”
Amie said the memorial served as an opportunity to remember Jesse and the lives he touched.
“Keeping my brother’s memory alive is a beautiful thing. To see the family back together, Jesse would be so proud and honored that we were here today doing this in memory of him. I’m very grateful for the opportunity and I’m grateful to be able to keep his memory alive. That’s something that’s really touching my heart.”
Family and friends host memorial honoring man who passed away in motorcycle accident
Jesse’s friends and family said they also want to use the memorial to bring awareness to the importance of motorcycle safety, both for riders and those who maintain the roads bikers drive on.
“Helmet safety is something that’s very important because it was a dirt bike accident that took his life,” Emily explained. “Also, I would like to see people being held accountable for their property. The owner of that property has been cited many times for the roads that were out there, for the potholes that my brother hit and ultimately cost him his life. I would like to see accountability be held because it’s not just him that passed away. It’s the people that live there every day, their vehicles that are being taken a toll on.”
Stumpff agreed, stating she believes the area is still dangerous even though two years have passed since Jesse’s fatal accident.
“My concern is also the children that are out there that play, that could hit a pothole, skin their knee or something…Something needs to be done.”
The family said they’re planning to start a GoFundMe to raise money for a tombstone marker for Jesse.
They said any additional funds will be given to Jesse’s children.
