Teresa Corley Giardina

April 28, 1930 - January 9, 2022

Teresa Corley Giardina, 91, died peacefully with her family by her side, on Sunday January 9, 2022. She was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts on April 28,1930, Teresa was the 6th of 11 children born to John Corley (Doon, Ireland) & Marguerite Gorman (Rathdowney, Ireland). She graduated from Rosary High School, in Holyoke MA, and received a full scholarship to Our Lady of the Elms College where she earned her BA degree in education in 1951. Teresa married Joseph Giardina, the love of her life, on February 23 ,1952. This was a match truly made in heaven as they joined to raise seven children. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Joseph in 1973. Teresa was passionate about education. She was a forerunner in learning and teaching the Montessori method, and was instrumental in initiating a special education curriculum for developmentally delayed students in Berkshire County. She went on to teach at Mt Carmel , Lenox Memorial High School, and taught journalism at St Joseph High School. Teresa was a social activist, whose great faith was influential in continuing her education in pastoral ministry. With her lifelong dedication to learning, she went on to attain two Masters degrees while raising seven children . She received one Masters in Education from American International College and a Masters in Counseling Psychology from the University of Massachusetts in 1981. She became an Associate Sister of St. Joseph's and was a pastoral minister at Sacred Heart Church administering to the homebound .Teresa was a spiritual force to all those who knew her.... A highly devout and charismatic Catholic she nonetheless was very progressive and advocated for women to be ordained as priests. She along with her five sisters were nicknamed the "God-Squad", as a phone call to one would initiate a prayer chain to those who were in need. Teresa was also an accomplished dancer and lived to dance. Teresa & Joe spent many weekends dancing to the big band orchestras . She taught all her children to dance the foxtrot, waltz, tango, and country line dances. She loved singing with her sisters in the church choir where they learned to sing beautiful four part harmonies . A spoken word often inspired a sisters with Teresa taking the lead with their encyclopedic repertoire. Teresa's great sense of humor would often lead from song to joke telling with family and friends laughing from one to the next.. She and her husband Joe also shared a love of baseball but as life would have it both continued rooting for rival teams of Red Sox and Yankees. She remained a lifelong Red Sox fan and lived to see them win the World Series, making it to Fenway Park on her 85th birthday. Teresa's faith, love and spirit continued to touch the hearts of many throughout her life and will be remembered by all Teresa is survived by her seven children, Matthew Giardina of Norwalk, CT, John (Donna) of Pittsfield, MA, Mary (Joseph) of New Canaan, CT, Barb (Richard) of New Canaan, CT, Joseph (Patricia) of Cheshire, MA, Patrick of Lanesboro, MA, Paul (Jeanna) of Lenox, MA, and 17 grandchildren, Samuel & Isabella Giardina, Jenna, Joseph, Jesse, Desiree Giardina, Justin, Elisabeth & Gabriella Najmy, Nicole Fulbright, Erica & Phillip Laughton, Victoria Winter, Alexis, Mia, Talia Giardina, and 11 great grandchildren, Evan, Cameron, Eva, Mason & Mila Giardina, Zoey and Gianna Giardina, Bennett, Lillian Corley, Clara Fulbright, Olivia and Margaret Winter. She was predeceased by her second husband, Anthony DeCeasare. Funeral Notice: A mass of Christian burial and celebration of life for Teresa Corley Giardina will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph's, Springfield, MA at www.ssjspringfield.org