Local obituary: Roslyn Terry, 92, Boston middle school math teacher for 32 years

Roslyn Adell (Wilson) Terry was the eldest of seven children born to Dorothy Kathleen (Matthews) Wilson and Robert Austin Wilson in Devonshire, Bermuda on May 10, 1931.

Roslyn was a studious child, and at the age of 16, she left Bermuda to attend Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. At Wilberforce, Roslyn would meet one of her lifelong best friends, Bettye (Frederick) Kimble. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Roslyn began her teaching career at Harrington Sound Primary School, and Sandy’s Secondary School in Bermuda. With the encouragement of her mother, she went on to pursue a master’s degree in education from Boston University. Roslyn would recount stories of being classmates with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was also a student at the time. While in Boston, Roslyn lived with Mr. & Mrs. Arnold Wingood (a Bermudian couple) and was introduced to Opera and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. These musical expressions played a great role in Roslyn’s decision to remain in Boston upon completion of her master’s degree.

The weekend of July 4th, 1964, Roslyn was introduced to the love of her life, Phillip Terry, by two mutual friends. Phillip was in the Navy, stationed in Kittery, Maine. They would go on to be married on December 20th of the same year and enjoyed 58 years of wedded bliss.

Roslyn served at the Woodrow Wilson Middle School for 32 years teaching 7th grade math. She was one of the first to teach computer classes in the Boston Public School System. When asked why she never pursued an administrative position, she emphasized her love of the classroom and helping to shape the minds of Boston’s youth.

Roslyn also expressed her love through cooking. She enjoyed entertaining and creating extensive menus for her guests. Roslyn decided to expand her interest in cooking and ran a small catering business in her spare time. In addition, Roslyn enjoyed working closely with her niece, promoting her work at Art shows across the country.

Roslyn was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend. She was called to glory on August 1, 2023. Roslyn is preceded in death by her sister Joycelyn Wainwright, and brothers Sayeed Ramadan and Andre Wilson.

Her wonderful and blessed life will be cherished in the hearts of her beloved husband Phillip Terry, daughter Kymberly D. Terry, granddaughters A. Austin Moore and Kennedy Moore, all of Milton, MA; sisters Marion Tucker, Veronica Phillips (Asquith), and Madree Lindsay, all of Bermuda; nieces and nephews of both the Wilson and Terry families, cousins, and friends.

Roslyn frequently ran into former students, and they would share the type of impact that she had on their lives. Just recently, Roslyn received a call from a former student who shared that she was the best teacher she ever had. That was 70 years ago at Harrington Sound Primary school. It was fitting that in her 1951 Wilberforce University Yearbook quote, Roslyn wrote: “I want to leave this world better than I found it, as an appreciation of having been able to live in it.” To this we say, Roslyn, job well done.

This local obituary is published via Legacy.com and Davis Funeral Home. Want a loved one’s obituary featured on Boston.com? Submit your obituary here, or email it to [email protected].