Theresa Gail Gwinn

On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, Mrs. Theresa Gail (Booth) Gwinn, age 77, of Lowell, West Virginia, made her journey to glory in the late morning and joined the chorus of heavenly praise after a long illness. Born on December 16, 1946, in her family home in Lindside to her the late parents, David Clinton Booth and Violet Lively Booth, Theresa was the fourth child out of five who lived and worked on the family's dairy farm. After graduating from Greenville High in 1965, she worked as a civil servant in Washington, DC before marrying Roger L Allen of Peterstown in 1966. She then worked at Celanese in Narrows, VA in beaming before having her first son, Brian. The young couple moved from Peterstown to Hinton, then Lowell, WV. She then worked as a teacher's aide at Talcott High School. After her divorce, she remarried Andrew H. Gwinn, in November of 1973 while she was working as a teacher's aide. The new couple was soon working at the Gwinn's cattle farm. In addition to farming, Andy and Theresa were white water canoe champions, winning race after race in West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. While Theresa worked as the sewing supervisor at the West Virginia Prison for Women in 1980, she had her second son, Derek. After Brian graduated from high school, she began her college education. She eventually received her bachelor's in teaching from Concord College and her masters in special education from Marshall University. She taught special education students for years at Alderson Elementary School until her retirement in 2009. Theresa was also very active in living her Christian faith. As a young woman, she was a member of "The One Way Singers", a southern-gospel quartet that also included her father, and two of her sisters. Her mother was also a member, playing the bass guitar. Later she was a camp counselor for the Greenbrier Baptist Youth Camp for several summers. She was involved with prison ministry at the Federal Prison Camp, Alderson, with her friends, Ruth Patterson and Virgie Philips, serving the women there for over 20 years. She eventually became an ordained minister and served in many positions with the Hinton chapter of Women's Aglow for several years, eventually becoming president of the chapter. She was an active member of the Spruce run Church of the Brethren in Lindside, the First Baptist Church in Hinton, the Union Church of God, the River of Life Church of God in Alderson, and The Ministry Place in Hinton. Her faith and service to Jesus Christ was always very important to her. Theresa is survived by her husband of 50 years, Andrew H. Gwinn, her two sons, Brian K. Allen (Sharon) and Derek A. Gwinn (Shelby), three grandchildren, Connor Allen (Abby Carter) along with Avery and Olivia Gwinn. Her siblings include Merilyn Fleshman (Dorsey Bradley), Linwell Booth (Mary Ellen), and Drema Hazelwood (Dwight). Her nieces and nephews include Kim Bradley Harr (Doug), Jamey Coulter, Dana Booth Widdoes (Eric), Daniel Hazelwood (Jessica Miller), and Tonya Hazelwood Calfee (Aaron) along with many great nieces and nephews. Theresa was preceded in death by her sister Donna Coulter (Shirley) Theresa's Visitation is Friday, October 25, 2024, at the Lobban Funeral Home in Alderson, WV, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm. On Saturday October 26, 2024, Lobban's will host a morning visitation from 10:00 am until noon, immediately followed by the funeral with Pastor Anthony Carter Officiating. Afterwards a reception is being held at the River of Life Church of God Fellowship Hall. A celebration of life service with Pastor Robbie Rodes officiating is also scheduled for November 2, 2024 at 5:00pm at The Ministry Place on Temple Street in Hinton, WV.