Theresa J. Avery

Theresa (Terry) Jeanne Avery of Menands, NY, passed away on September 28,2023 after a brief illness surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Cohoes, NY, Terry was the daughter of the late Marguerite (Nailor) and John Morin.

Terry is survived by her ten nieces and nephews, their spouses and numerous grand nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her four sisters, Mary, Elizabeth, Eileene and Marjorie, their spouses and her former husband, Malcolm Avery. Terry is also survived by her dear companion, aide and friend, Nancy who enriched her final years. A true angel on earth.

After her marriage in 1951, Terry lived first in NYC, then San Francisco and San Diego, CA. as her husband pursued his career in the aerospace industry. The couple lived an active lifestyle, hiking, biking and traveling widely both domestically and abroad before the marriage ended amicably in the late 1960's. Terry was a career woman before it was fashionable and had a long career with Ma Bell then AT&T before retiring in 1987. Around that time, Terry reunited with her beloved, recently widowed little sister, Marge. The two sisters settled in Huntsville, AL, enjoying twenty years of travel and laughter before moving back to the Capitol District to be closer to family in their older years. Terry lost her sister and best friend to cancer in 2009, but remained living independently until the day she entered the hospital for the very first time in her life. We would like to thank the St. Peter's and Schuyler Ridge staff for the wonderfully compassionate care Terry experienced during her hospitalization. We, her family, are forever indebted to you for making this difficult time more bearable.

Terry was known for her incredibly sharp mind and memory for details, dates, names, both past and present. She was a wonderful listener and much preferred talking about the goings on in her family's lives to recounting her aches and pains, saying only that she felt every one of her years. Amazingly, two days before she passed, Terry was able to fill in all of the gaps in our family tree with full detail, going back several generations!

Being a woman of deep and abiding faith, Terry knew exactly where she was heading during her three final weeks here on earth and who would be there to meet her when she reached her heavenly home. The last wish Terry expressed was to be able to go dancing with her sisters, self-proclaimed jitterbug champions of the Capitol District. As stated in Psalm 149:3, "Let them praise His name with dancing...". We have no doubt that God has granted His Beloved daughter her wish.

Terry was a devoted communicant of St. Joan of Arc Parish in Menands, attending Mass weekly until giving up her driver's license several years ago. She was exceedingly compassionate and generous, supporting many charities, particularly St. Jude's Children's Hospital and The Franciscan Mission Associates. Donations to either organization would be much appreciated in lieu of flowers.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, October 14, 20323, at 9:00 am at St. Joan of Arc Church,76 Menands Rd., Menands, NY 12204. Interment of ashes will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery, 40 Middletown Rd, Waterford, NY 12188