Obituary: Manfred 'Terry' Ehrich III, Editor And Publisher of Hemmings Motor News

BENNINGTON, Vt., Jan. 14 -- Manfred ``Terry'' Ehrich, III, beloved father, son, brother, uncle and friend, died Jan. 10, 2002 at the Albany (N.Y.) Medical Center.

From 1968 to the present, he had been the publisher and editor of Hemmings Motor News in Bennington. In 1991, HMN was termed a ``company that cares'' by authors Hal Morgan and Kerry Tucker in their book which studied companies in America.

Terry was born June 26, 1941 in New York City, and moved with his family to Vermont in 1944. Terry grew up in Arlington, attending Arlington High and then Harvard College, graduating in 1964. After a four-year stint at The New York Review of Books as advertising manager, he returned to Vermont, a dream realized. Terry often remarked that his mother, Lea Ehrich, a noted landscape painter, encouraged him to be a ``tree-hugging liberal.''

Over the past 33 years Terry devoted himself not only to successfully leading HMN but also serving his community and state. He was a member of the Community Advisory Board for WAMC-FM since 1989. In recent years Terry committed himself to promoting parents involvement in their children's education through the First Day Foundation.

Education was a strong theme in Terry's life as he involved himself in the following endeavors: A board member of North Bennington Graded School Prudential Committee, U.S. Department of Education Steering Committee, and a board member of the Vermont Law School. For his accomplishments in the area of parental participation he received the President's Service Award, presented to him by President Clinton in November 1999.

Friends and family often found Terry rescuing trees, shrubs and moss from the forest to scatter around his sequestered ``Camp Gundah,'' a name coined by his grandson, Cameron. This theme of nature and the environment was also promoted on a larger scale as he endeavored to raise consciousness throughout the state. He served as a board member for the Vermont Natural Resources Council from 1990 until September of 1991 at which time he resigned to become a member of the Vermont Environmental Board. He held this position from 1991 until March 1994.

Terry also served on the board of directors of the Mount Anthony Preservation Society.

Terry's devotion to community and causes has been acknowledged by numerous awards and accolades including The Rotary Foundation, Martha O'Connor Award for Private Citizen Contribution to Public Education, The Ferdinand ``Nundy'' Bongartz Award, Automotive Hall of Fame Award, Automotive Industry Recognition Award, Vermont State Legislature Lifetime Achievement Award, The Distinguished Service Citation Recipient Award also from the Automotive Hall of Fame and the David W. Curtis Leadership Award. A highlight for Terry took place on Oct. 21, 2001 when the Bennington community recognized him with the ``I Love a Parade,'' organized by Allison Rogge and T.J. Carmody.

During his last months, Terry pursued business and civic affairs from ``Camp Gundah.''

There he enjoyed friends and family who gathered to share good times with him and Jackie Christie, his loving partner who made these months joyous and meaningful.

Terry will be missed by his family: daughters, Gillian and Shannon; grandson, Cameron; his father, Manfred W. Ehrich, Jr.; his step-mother, Elane; his sister and brothers, Jessie Lea Abbott, Andy Livingston, Perez Ehrich; his step-brother, Ray Granger; his nieces and nephews; stepchildren Aaron and Ethan Shrier; and the numerous people whose lives he has touched.

A memorial service celebrating the life of Terry Ehrich will be held Saturday, Jan. 19 at 1:30 p.m. at Greenwall Auditorium on the campus of Bennington College.

Private committal services will take place in the family lot in Evergreen Cemetery in Arlington, at the convenience of the family.

Memorial contributions may be made to either the First Day Foundation or a charity of one's choice through Mahar & Son Funeral Home, 628 Main St., Bennington, VT 05201.

Publishers Note: We at The Auto Channel have always had a soft spot in our hearts for Hemmings. As car guys we appreciated the service that the magazine provided ...Rest In Peace Terry