Teresa Mussey

1942 - 2020

Teresa Mussey
May 12, 1942 - December 21, 2020
Teresa (Terry) Mussey passed away with her family at her side in comfort and peace at her home in San Francisco. She had complications from a brain tumor.

Terry grew up outside Philadelphia with her mother and father Ruth and Wes Tanseer and her younger brother Scott Tanseer. Her father founded General Copper and Brass Co. She graduated from Denison University in Ohio and received a graduate degree in education from Stanford. She also studied in Montreal, Geneva and Paris to perfect her French. She began teaching yoga and French classes while living in Southern California and Kona Hawaii with her first husband Tom Stick and her beloved son William Scott Stick. In 1974 she moved north to Tiburon California and continued her teaching.

Terry was a fantastic teacher and her students, mostly adults, loved her classes. She was always vivacious and up-beat. She made learning fun, whether it was yoga or French. Many of her students became lifelong friends. One said "she was a trip—she had a certain way about her that was just amazing."

In 1987 she married John (Jack) Mussey and there followed 33 years of love and adventure. They bought a home in Tiburon and later in San Francisco. Travel became a major part of her life. Because of Jack's business she took many trips to London and Asia, primarily Japan, Hong Kong and China. But her real love was Europe and, of course, Paris which was a must visit at least twice a year. However, most Christmas holidays were spent relaxing in Kona Hawaii.

Terry loved a good challenge. The word "no" didn't seem to be in her vocabulary. She was an accomplished chef, travel planner, home decorator,shopper, entertainer and fisher woman. She developed a passion for fly fishing, and was really good at it. Fishing with Jack and friends took her to Montana, Colorado and British Columbia, as well as New Zealand and Argentina. Terry was described by one of her fishing guides as "a wonderful woman with bouncing energy every day no matter what the fishing or weather delivered." She produced lots of laughter and joy while fishing.

Annual summer trips to Montana led to the acquisition of a log cabin on the banks of the Yellowstone river outside Livingston Montana. Terry loved it there. She and Jack spent her last summer sitting on their deck, watching the river and the ever changing Big Sky. She was at peace.

Terry is survived by her loving husband Jack, her beloved son Scott and his wife Denise, her brother Scott and his wife Jackie and her step sons Dan and David Mussey and their respective wives Einit and Carrie.

There will be a celebration of her life sometime in the future. She suggested, if desired, a donation in her memory could be made to a favorite restaurant in need.