Terry was born and raised in central Nebraska and received his Bachelors of Science degree in biology and psychology from the University of Nebraska-Kearney in 1975. He received his graduate degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Iowa in 1977. He practiced in northern Iowa for four years before moving to South Bend, IN, where he practiced until his move back to Nebraska in 2018. While in Indiana, he managed several outpatient orthopaedic therapy practices, as well as provided clinical education at local, state and national levels in the areas of manual therapy, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation, and Medical/Scandinavian Exercise Therapy. During his years in Indiana, he completed a Master of Health Science degree in orthopaedic physical therapy from Krannert University 1993. Terry completed a two year Fellowship residency in Manual and Medical Exercise Therapy from Great Lakes Institute of Physical Therapy- Orthopaedic Manual Physical Therapy in 2000. In 2011 he started work on his post professional doctorate in Physical Therapy at Regis University.
Outside of his work career, Terry and his wife, Debra(also a Physical Therapist), have been instructors/students in Okinawan Shorin Ryu karate, having over 80 years of training and teaching experience between them. One of their goals in moving back to Nebraska – besides now being closer to 9 grandchildren – has been to continue teaching this system.