Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Q: How would you describe Theresa to someone who had never met them?
A: To describe my Nana is to tell two tales: the life she lived and the story she inspired.
Her life was one of independence, passion, and an unshakable love for a good book. Nana was a voracious reader, diving into countless worlds and finding joy in the escapism that stories offered. Her fiercely independent nature—and let’s be honest, her legendary stubborn streak—made her a force to be reckoned with. Once she set her mind on something, there was little anyone could do to change it.
But the story of Nana is what will truly live on. Her wisdom, always far beyond her years, was wrapped in a wry sense of humor that could both disarm and inspire. One of her most famous quotes, a family favorite, was: “I don’t care if you grow up to be a stripper, but you better be the best damn stripper you can be.” She said this to me, her rebellious granddaughter, when I was searching for a reaction. (Spoiler alert: I didn’t get the reaction I was looking for, but I never forgot the advice. It taught me a lesson I carry to this day—it doesn’t matter what you do but be the best that you can be.)
If that doesn’t give you a sense of who she was, her stories certainly would. Nana loved sharing tales, like the ones about her friend’s Aunt Peaches, who she called “the most beautiful lady”—and who, coincidentally, was also a stripper. These stories left you in stitches while giving you a glimpse of the spirited young woman she once was: a rebellious teenager, a biker chick with the wind in her hair, a lover of high heels, and someone who lived life boldly and unapologetically before becoming the caring mother and devoted grandmother we all adored.
Her love of books is something she passed down to me, and it has become a constant thread in my own life. But perhaps what has shaped me most is her wisdom. Over the years, I’ve found myself modifying her lessons to be a bit more PG and sharing them with the rebellious kids I’ve worked with. I’ve watched those kids take her wisdom to heart, find inspiration in it, and grow into stronger, better versions of themselves. Seeing her life lessons ripple out and change lives has been one of the greatest honors of knowing her.
Nana’s life spanned 93 remarkable years. She always said she wanted to leave this world with a book in her hand, and she did exactly that—on her own terms, just as she lived.
For those of us left behind, what we wouldn’t give for one more conversation with her. Whether to hear a new piece of wisdom wrapped in humor or another story that transported us to her past, Nana always left us better for having listened. Her life, with its independence and spirit, and her story, with its laughter and legacy, left a mark on everyone she met. And that mark, as she would have made sure, was always for the better.
