Thomas Terrell Sessums was born June 11, 1930, in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States.

Sessums graduated from the University of Florida with his bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor and began his law practice in Tampa.

On June 7, 2013, T. Terrell Sessums was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough County, Florida.

In 1967 Terrell Sessums introduced legislation which formed by Special Act the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County.

In 2009 Terrell Sessums was honored by having a Tampa Bay Environmental Excellence Award named after him.