Teresa Cecilia Andreas

Andreas, Teresa Cecilia

Teresa Cecilia Andreas passed away peacefully on March 18, 2014 in Warwick, NY., at age 87. Born in Camden, NJ on Sept. 4th, 1926, she was one of ten girls born to Joseph and Mary Genovese. Teresa was the loving wife of James F. Andreas, who predeceased her in1995, and the mother of 8 children, Michael, Christine, Martin, Jamie, Thomas, Kevin, Teresa and Mark. She is survived by 14 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. With the help of her husband, Teresa raised her large family in Suffern, N.Y., devoting all her time and energy to the care of her children and household. She would often say her children were her greatest joy, and she proved it every day by her tireless efforts to give them a clean, orderly and nurturing home. From home baked bread to hand crocheted blankets she filled their large family home with a mother's love.

After her children were grown, she worked in her favorite Suffern Store, the Nearly New consignment shop, where she was known to many Suffern residents for her cheerful and personal service, and above all her vibrant energy. She made sure that store was neat and organized! Her life was filled with a love of music, which came to her through her father, and which she passed on to her children. There was not a moment in their years at home that Teresa's music did not fill the air from the all important stereo! Her most endearing quality was a childlike innocence, that enabled her to be part of, and grow with the ever changing world of her many children.

In her last few years, though struggling with Parkinson's Disease and increasing dementia, she fought valiantly to maintain her freedom and dignity against the efforts of three of her children to place her, prematurely, in a nursing home against her strongly expressed wishes. Forced to appear in court and spend a large part of the estate left to her by her husband on a team of lawyers, she finally succeeded, with the aid of Christine, Jamie, Thomas, Kevin and Mark. She was able to enjoy her last years in her own apartment, amidst the loving care of her remaining family, and seeing their faces in her final days.

The family would like to especially thank Catherine Campbell who gave Mom such loving care till her final day, and to the wonderful nurses at hospice, who made sure her passing was comfortable and peaceful.

Funeral services are being held privately at the request of the family. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Inglesby & Sons Funeral Home, 2426 Cove Road, Pennsauken NJ 08109. The family respectfully requests that memorial donations be made to the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. Donations can be made online at http://www.preventelderabuse.org, or mailed to: National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse,1730 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20036.