Terry Lee Langley, cherished husband, loving father and grandfather, beloved son and brother, and dear friend, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Baylor, Scott, and White Hospital in Temple, Texas, surrounded by love. He was 66 years old.

Born on September 8, 1959, in the Overall – Morris Memorial Hospital in Coleman to James LaRue Langley and Nellie Ruth Malone. His mother would remarry Lester Arnold when Terry was still a child and Lester was the man who raised him. As he grew up he developed his strong foundation of integrity, character, and resilience that would carry him through his life. When he was 16 years old he met a 13 year old girl named Karen Darlene White. He never forgot their first encounter and could tell you exactly what she was wearing and the first words he ever heard her say. To Terry it was love at first sight and two years later on December 28, 1977, in the living room of Justice of the Peace Holtz, Terry and Karen were married and would spend the next 48 years of their lives together.

To provide for his young family Terry would go to work at the Gulf Filling Station for Bill Carter, where he earned the nickname “Hot Rod” for his knack of waking up at 7:55 AM and being at work by 8:00 AM, sliding into the parking lot. Eventually he would go to work in the oil field where others didn’t want to work with him because “he didn’t know when to go home.” Terry always said by Wednesday he was typically on overtime because “working was lots of fun as long as you were making lots of money but if you weren’t making lots of money then it wasn’t very fun.”

When the oil field dried up he put that motto to the test going to work as a helper for Ivan Hill. Terry always said carpenters made the least on a construction job and did the most, but he quickly learned that it was his passion, to look at something and visualize what it could be before making that vision come to life. Ivan once told him that if he had a team of workers like him he never would have retired, but there was only ever one Terry Langley in this world. After working with the Jones brothers for a time he would eventually go off on his own building and fixing things for people. He could look at a house and tell you by the craftsmanship who built it. Being the perfectionist that he was he could spot the smallest imperfection.

His strong work ethic and long hours he always put in was mainly to support his greatest achievement in life, his family. He always hated how much he missed but he did everything in his power to build the life he and Karen could only ever dream of when they got married. They raised four beautiful children that he was extremely proud of, typically never getting through a conversation without bringing up at least one of them. They owned their own house, cars, all their bills were paid, and he would say “we may not have had everything we wanted but we had everything we needed.”

That idea embodied Terry and even when they didn’t have much he still gave to others. Though he may not have liked others to know it Terry had the biggest heart. Even when he knew it could hurt him he still went out of his way to help others and never once did he ask for anything in return. Through everything, he built up the Langley name to mean something and he was so proud of that. He loved history and could tell you almost anything about Coleman history and his mind was a vault and he rarely ever forgot anything. He loved to talk, laugh, and tease and if he gave you a nickname or teased you then you knew he liked you.

Terry had a personality that made him bigger than life and you typically always knew where you stood with him whether he said it or not. Karen would always say “don’t ask him for his opinion unless you really want to know it,” because he wasn’t bashful about telling it.

As a youth Terry was saved but as life went on he would say “a lot of water has been under that bridge.” When your heart was as big as Terry’s you risk getting hurt the most and he felt that pain. But in recent years he rededicated his life to God and didn’t miss an opportunity to share with anyone from strangers to friends how many miracles God had worked in his life. The world has lost a big beautiful soul but Heaven has gained one of the greatest men. Terry spent his entire life looking out for others and putting others before himself and even in his final times his main concern was on the ones he loved most.

Those loved ones left to mourn him are his adoring wife, Karen Langley: his daughters Brandy Crowder and husband David, Heather Guijosa and husband Miguel, his sons, Jerry Langley and wife Katelyn, and John Langley. His loving grandchildren that he was so proud of Alex Crowder and wife Alexis, Nick Crowder, Ella Perry and husband Jayton, Kaydee Crowder, George Guijosa, Lilly Guijosa, Trinity Langley, Stella Langley, Colton Langley, Casey Langley, and Stetson Langley. His great-grandchildren Bentlee Crowder and Haisley Crowder. Terry was also survived by his mother, Nellie Justice and his sister, Betty Lafferty.

He was preceded in death by his brother, whom he missed his whole life, Jerry LaRue Langley; his daughter Vanessa Lee Langley, his birth father, James LaRue Langley, his stepfather Lester Arnold, his uncle Cecil Langley, his aunt Pat Langley, his brother-in-law Bob Lafferty, and his “adopted” grandmother, Grandma Jenna Stovall, along with a long list of friends who he thought of like family.

Terry may not have walked out of that hospital with his family but his memory and legacy walked out within his family. Terry’s memory will forever be treasured by all who knew him and his absence leaves an unfillable space in the lives of everyone who had the honor to meet him.

Family and friends are invited to pay their respects to the wonderful man during a visitation on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM at Stevens Funeral Home, 400 W Pecan St, Coleman, TX. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Stevens Funeral Home Chapel with his lifelong friend, Uncle Marv as he called him, Rev. Marvin Hale, pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Santa Anna, officiating. Interment will follow in the Voss Cemetery. Services are entrusted to Stevens Funeral Home.

Terry Lee Langley’s life was riddles with struggles but through it all his unwavering love for his family, loyalty to his friends, unmatched work ethic, generous spirit, and his strong faith in God will continue to inspire all who had the privilege and honor to share in his journey. His stories, laughter, craftsmanship, and the warmth of his presence will be remembered with respect, love, and enduring gratitude.

The family requests with gratitude that memorial contributions be made to Amy’s House at www.amyshouse-temple.org, the Ronald McDonald House at www.rmhdallas.org, or to the charity of the donor’s choice.

We invite you to share fond memories, funny stories, helpful times, and words of comfort and condolence with the Langley family by signing the guestbook on Terry’s tribute page at www.stevensfuneralhome.com. Stevens Funeral Home is honored to serve the Langley family.