Lt. Col. Thompson "Thom" Allen Terrell III, 71, of Blue Ridge, died Sept. 6, 2011.

He was a member of Alpharetta Presbyterian Church.

Lt. Col. Terrell was the only officer to have dual command of the Desert and Mountaineering phases of Ranger School and 5th RTB based at Camp F.D. Merrell in Dahlonega.

He served three tours in Vietnam as a Green Beret, earning three Bronze Stars, one Silver Star and an Air Medal.

He was a Jumpmaster with the 82nd Airborne and he served with Delta Force, 5th Special Forces Group, 12th Special Forces Group, 2nd Ranger Battalion, 172nd Brigade.

He also served as Commander of the 32nd Battalion of the 7th Infantry Division and was a member of the 23rd Infantry Division and the 75th Rangers 5th Battalion. He was a soldier's soldier.

Survivors include his loving wife of 50 years, Virginia Terrell of Macon; daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Matt Nyberg of Lincoln, N.E.; their daughters, Catherine and Sarah; son and daughter-in-law, Chip and Dee Dee Terrell of Dawsonville; their daughters, Morgan and Chelsea; various other relatives also survive.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Sept. 9, graveside at Harmony Baptist Cemetery in Blue Ridge, Old Highway 76 and Aska Road.

In lieu of flowers, donations were requested made to the Alzheimer's Association of GA, 41 Perimeter Center East, Suite 550, Atlanta, GA 30346.

Ingram Funeral Home and Crematory of Cumming was in charge of the arrangements.