Theresa Marie Hood
July 1, 1934 — August 16, 2017
Theresa Hood, of Omaha, Nebraska, passed away peacefully at Valley Eldercare in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on August 16, 2017, with her family by her side. She was 83 years old.
Theresa Marie Hood was born on the Lawrence family farm on July 1, 1934, near Prairieburg, Iowa. She was the eldest surviving daughter of Amil and Julia Lawrence, second generation Czech immigrants.
Theresa graduated from Central City High School in 1952 and from Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) with her teaching degree in 1954. She received her Bachelor’s degree in 1960 from Coe College and her Master’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1966. She taught in Clarence and Marion, Iowa prior to moving to Omaha, Nebraska in 1966.
Theresa taught sixth grade at Central Park Elementary School in Omaha for 28 years. She was a dedicated and well-respected teacher and lifelong proponent of education. Theresa was a member of St Bernard’s Catholic Church. Her friends and family knew her to be tremendously selfless and giving. In her younger years, she dedicated all of her time and energy to raising her two children while working full time. She thoroughly enjoyed her 20 years of retirement in Omaha, and received great joy from travelling the world with her siblings and long phone conversations with her beloved sister, Virginia. Theresa treasured the time spent with her children and grandchildren in North Dakota, California, and at the lake in Minnesota. Mimi, as she was affectionately known by her grandchildren, was very proud of them and loved attending their musical concerts and sporting events. She was an avid reader of books, especially historical fiction, and news events and her iPad was never far away. In her retirement, she also enjoyed daily walks, volunteering, discussing the news, and watching political comedy.
Theresa was preceded in death by her parents and infant siblings, Amil, Harry, and Julia, and her nephew, David Lawrence.
She is survived by her daughter, Larissa Hood and her husband, David Krogh, and their three children, Julia, Isabel, and Aiden of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and her son, Randolph Hood and his wife, Julie, and their son, Bradley of Pleasanton, California. Survivors also include her brothers, Stanley Lawrence and his wife, Marianne of Central City, Iowa, and Gilbert Lawrence and his wife, Marita of Hiawatha, Iowa; her sister, Virginia Elliott and her husband, Marvin of Long Grove, Iowa; along with many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life for Theresa will be held at Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Marion, Iowa, on Tuesday August 22, 2017, at 11 a.m. with visitation 2 hours prior to service and internment to follow at St. Josephs Cemetery in Prairieburg, Iowa.
Memorials may be made to Grand Cities Children’s Choir of Grand Forks, North Dakota, an organization three of her grandchildren have been very involved with and whose concerts she enjoyed over the years.
Our beloved Mom, Mimi, Sister, Aunt and friend will be deeply missed.
Theresa Marie Hood was born on the Lawrence family farm on July 1, 1934, near Prairieburg, Iowa. She was the eldest surviving daughter of Amil and Julia Lawrence, second generation Czech immigrants.
Theresa graduated from Central City High School in 1952 and from Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa) with her teaching degree in 1954. She received her Bachelor’s degree in 1960 from Coe College and her Master’s degree from the University of Iowa in 1966. She taught in Clarence and Marion, Iowa prior to moving to Omaha, Nebraska in 1966.
Theresa taught sixth grade at Central Park Elementary School in Omaha for 28 years. She was a dedicated and well-respected teacher and lifelong proponent of education. Theresa was a member of St Bernard’s Catholic Church. Her friends and family knew her to be tremendously selfless and giving. In her younger years, she dedicated all of her time and energy to raising her two children while working full time. She thoroughly enjoyed her 20 years of retirement in Omaha, and received great joy from travelling the world with her siblings and long phone conversations with her beloved sister, Virginia. Theresa treasured the time spent with her children and grandchildren in North Dakota, California, and at the lake in Minnesota. Mimi, as she was affectionately known by her grandchildren, was very proud of them and loved attending their musical concerts and sporting events. She was an avid reader of books, especially historical fiction, and news events and her iPad was never far away. In her retirement, she also enjoyed daily walks, volunteering, discussing the news, and watching political comedy.
Theresa was preceded in death by her parents and infant siblings, Amil, Harry, and Julia, and her nephew, David Lawrence.
She is survived by her daughter, Larissa Hood and her husband, David Krogh, and their three children, Julia, Isabel, and Aiden of Grand Forks, North Dakota, and her son, Randolph Hood and his wife, Julie, and their son, Bradley of Pleasanton, California. Survivors also include her brothers, Stanley Lawrence and his wife, Marianne of Central City, Iowa, and Gilbert Lawrence and his wife, Marita of Hiawatha, Iowa; her sister, Virginia Elliott and her husband, Marvin of Long Grove, Iowa; along with many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life for Theresa will be held at Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Marion, Iowa, on Tuesday August 22, 2017, at 11 a.m. with visitation 2 hours prior to service and internment to follow at St. Josephs Cemetery in Prairieburg, Iowa.
Memorials may be made to Grand Cities Children’s Choir of Grand Forks, North Dakota, an organization three of her grandchildren have been very involved with and whose concerts she enjoyed over the years.
Our beloved Mom, Mimi, Sister, Aunt and friend will be deeply missed.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Theresa Marie Hood, please visit our flower store.