TERESA YVONNE GRITZER's Obituary
Teresa Yvonne Gritzer, 88, left us on the morning of Saturday, December 19, 2015 in Miami, Florida. She would have liked to let everyone know she enjoyed her time here with us. She went peacefully with the Lord, surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren. She was a strong woman, who fought through breast and skin cancer, but lost her battle against Alzheimers. Up until her last breath, she was reaching out to her loved ones, letting us know how much we meant to her. Tere was born on October 6, 1927 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to Alexander and Teresa Snyder. She was the oldest of three children.
Not a fan of the freezing winter temperatures, as an adult, Tere moved to Florida and settled in Miami. She married Francis Joseph Gritzer and, later in life, took care of him throughout his fight against lung cancer, which he eventually lost. Together, they raised four beautiful daughters, Yvonne (Louis), Pamela (Gus), Kimberley (Jeff), and Karen (Bill). She loved her family dearly. Tere enjoyed traveling around with her devoted husband, her daughters, and their dogs. She never left anyone home. Tere traveled from Key West to California, to Canada, Hawaii, Jamaica, the Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas. As her Alzheimers progressed, it prevented her from exploring more of the world.
Tere was excited when she became a beloved Nana to her eleven grandchildren. Getting together with her family often was important to her, especially around the holidays. Being a part of raising her grandchildren made her complete. She believed she was put on this Earth to raise children, and she excelled at it. She was extremely compassionate, tender, caring, loving, and comforting to everyone who knew her.
Her carefree attitude did not hold her back from what she enjoyed in life. She enjoyed being outdoors, whether it be watering her garden, being at the beach, taking walks, or taking her grandchildren to the park. She had many interests in the Arts and Entertainment, adored music, and played the piano. She loved to dance and would get others to join in with her. Cooking large meals and inviting her family and friends over was special to her. She was a fabulous cook and always made sure there was more than enough for everyone.
Tere had many wonderful traits, the most profound being that she could put a smile on anyones face. Making others happy was always at the top of her list. We love her very much and she will be dearly missed. We cherished the time we had with her and she will always be in our memories.
What’s your fondest memory of TERESA?
What’s a lesson you learned from TERESA?
Share a story where TERESA's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with TERESA you’ll never forget.
How did TERESA make you smile?
