Theresa Brabenec

Theresa "Terry" Margaret Brabenec, nee DeRiso, 90 years young, passed quietly in her sleep at her home in Tucson, AZ. Terry was born in Youngstown, Ohio on our Nation's birthday, July 4, 1926. Born to legal immigrant parents, Frank and Julia DeRiso, she grew up during the Great Depression. Her father called her the "studious one" because she was always with her head in a book. Terry had 5 siblings, Dominic (Dee), Carl (Charlie), Josephine (Jo), Philomena (Phil), and her baby sister Rosemary. When she was 18, she joined the WWII Cadet Nursing Corp and served her country. As a nurse she worked a variety of assignments including working in psych wards, on an Indian reservation, and in some of the most economically depressed areas in the great state of Ohio. She was an incredible nurse who cared for others her entire career. She married William C. Brabenec in Ohio and then moved with him twice to Tucson, Arizona. Their move in 1963 would be their last and Terry stayed there and raised her family. Over her lifetime, she made many beloved friends, many of whom remain her friends today. She was a nurse, an avid bridge player, an amateur photographer, knitted several family members blankets, made wonderful handmade cards with her photos and rubber stamps, and could play a mean game of bowling! She loved to travel, and would never turn down an opportunity for an adventure. She traveled all over the world. Terry loved Mexican food, and badgered anyone who she could get to sit still long enough to take her out for Mexican food. In fact, her daughter Virginia and friend Yolva Gallego took her to Yolva's uncle's Mexican restaurant two days before she passed away. Terry was in a state of complete bliss afterward. Terry raised 8 children, buried two of them, and loved all of them all the days of her life. Terry is preceded in death by her husband Bill, her children Rita (Dan) Schmaltz and her son William R. Brabenec as well as all of her siblings. Terry leaves behind her children, Barbara A. Brabenec (Bob Lough), Robert J. Brabenec, Teresa M. McEwen (Bill), Virginia M. Brabenec, Janet D. Vita (Eldon), and Thomas M. Brabenec (Andrea Hawk). She was immensely proud of her grandchildren that she leaves behind: Scott Schmaltz, Amanda Schmaltz both of Chicago, Illinios, Ariana Speranza (Terry's "little buddy"), Nathan Vita, Sam McEwen, Sierra Speranza, Josh Vita, and Joseph Vita, all of Tucson, Arizona. Terry also had several nieces and nephews, Dominic Bonelli, Carl Bonelli, Frank Bonelli, Julie Bonelli Rivera, Cynthia Preston and Russell Preston. Terry loved them all, and visited the Bonelli clan frequently when she visited with her sister Rosemary. Terry and Rosemary traveled together often and never missed an opportunity to argue over who made the better spaghetti sauce or to play nickel poker in the casino! You always found them with their heads together, usually giggling like two schoolgirls. During the last years of her life, Terry was blessed with many wonderful companions. Delores Barnes, Delores' husband Eugene, and Yolva Gallego (Yolva found out the hard way what a "card shark" Terry was) made her life so much better in recent years. Terry Brabenec was a wonderful soul. She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, an aunt, a grandmother, a mother-in-law, a nurse, a friend, and the best bridge player in the entire world! She has left this world to join her children, Rita and Bill, but those of us remaining on Earth will always feel surrounded by her love. We miss you, Mom! A memorial service will be held for Terry at Angel Valley Funeral Home, 2545 N. Tucson Boulevard, Tucson, Arizona at 10:00 AM on Saturday, December 3rd. Graveside committal will follow at Holy Hope Cemetery at 3555 N. Oracle. The family would like to invite all to a celebration of Terry's life following the graveside services. Please contact any family member who will be glad to provide information on the location of this celebration.