Theresa (Terri) McGee

life story

Loving Wife, Mother, and Grandmother.

Theresa A. (Terri) McGee, formerly of Mankato, completed her life's journey on March 18 surrounded by her loving family. Born in Schenectady, NY in 1936, Terri attended St. Lawrence University before beginning her teaching career. She was re-introduced to Sidney McGee after attending a concert. They fell in love and remained in love through 57 years of marriage. A member of the Loyola High School Hall of Fame, she taught Social Studies to for 35 years. Terri and Sid enjoyed working with youth and traveling locally and abroad.

Terri is survived by her husband Sid, her Sons Jon (Ann), Tim (Ann), Greg

(Annie) and Brian (Andrea) and their 11 grandchildren, Kaitlin (Luke), Andrew, Grace, Nick, Louie, Mae, Donovan, Ben, Jude, Carmella and Kate.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at Lumen Christi Catholic Church in St. Paul was on Saturday, March 23 2019 at 11am with visitation two hours before. Memorials may be made to the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

First Generation Italian

Terri McGee was born to Italian immigrants in Schenectady, New York in January 1936. Her immigrant story and tales of large family gatherings remained an important part of her identity throughout her life. She was Italian and being Italian was important to her family. She attended St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, from 1954 to 1958, at a time when women had far fewer opportunities to attend college. An only child, her parents believed deeply in the value of education. They viewed her education not simply as a way up but as the best way up. The commitment to education as a transformational experience stayed with Terri throughout her life.

Terri married Sid McGee in July 1961. They had first met as neighbor children years earlier. They were re-introduced to each other at a dance at Union College, fell in love, and were married for 57 years. Together, they had four children in a span of just over four years. Terri stayed at home as her crew of boys grew. She cooked and baked copious amounts of food and sweets – which her children and their friends ate as quickly as she made it. She was a loving mother and neighborhood “mom”: part-time doctor, part-time taxi driver, part-time sous chef, part-time disciplinarian, full-time nurturer.

For years, with her close friend Jo Borchert she headed the Holy Rosary religious education program for elementary school students. Her family grew up in church at Holy Rosary. Upon learning that all four boys would eventually need braces, at age 40 she returned to teaching as a social studies teacher at Fitzgerald Middle School in Mankato. For the next 35 years, she would become a fixture first at Fitzgerald Middle School and eventually at Mankato Loyola High School, where she would teach three generations of students. Known simply as “Mrs. McGee,” she was a beloved teacher with famously high expectations for her students. She loved them as much as they loved her and encouraged them to believe in themselves as much as she believed in them. In 2006, she was inducted into the Loyola Hall of Fame.

Terri was deeply involved in the community, practicing what she preached about the social studies and American government she taught. She introduced the Close-Up program and Youth in Government to Loyola students, a passion she and Sid would carry on for more than a decade. In her seventies, she reinvented herself again when she was appointed to the North Mankato City Council. She served three years on the Council, followed by several more years on the city’s Planning Commission. Though she had plenty to say about politicians, her interests were with public policy action. She encouraged her children and her students to get involved on issues that mattered to them. She always had time for public policy or current events conversation.

She “retired from public life” – teaching and public affairs work – at age 75. Together, she and Sid traveled the country and the globe to places they had not been able to see when their children were young. They relished visits – and telling tales of their visits – to England, France, Germany, Austria and Italy.

In her later years, Terri was simply grandma to her eleven grandchildren. She never stopped teaching, sharing both wisdom and recipes for Italian family favorites. She deeply loved her grandchildren, lighting up every time they visited, particularly during her last months and days. Terri finished every phone call with her family with “I love you, sweetheart.”

We learned much from our mother. She never expected us to be THE best but simply to be OUR best. She was fiercely loyal to family, friends, and students. Over decades, she touched, shaped and nurtured not just our lives, but the lives of thousands of students. The love she shared with us and others will live long beyond memory. We will deeply miss her.

Eulogy (written and given by Carmella McGee, Grand Daughter)

I had a chance to read this to my Grandma last week and I wanted to share it with you today.

Growing up I always told anyone who would listen that ‘I’m Italian’. I was proud to learn that my grandma’s father was a card player and understood where my luck came from. I felt empowered and confident when answering the question ‘where is that beautiful name from?’ My grandma’s mother, I would say.

Every time my voice rang out a little louder than the rest. Whenever I had to use a stool because I was just a little too short. Having a burning love of math and arithmetic. Making homemade sauce and pasta. Feeling the years of history living through me. And most importantly, being the feisty and strong woman that I am.

Thank you, Grandma, for shaping me with history and strength and beauty. It all comes from you. Everything I do that makes you proud, it’s really because of you. You always make your voice heard because you are important and you know it. You helped me eyeball the ingredients to our sauce while the directions were lost behind our fun. You stirred in the magic to our Easter bread, making it rise just like the corners of our mouths. You told me stories about college, wanting to be a math major, being an only child, growing up around the smells of garlic, rowing the boat back to the cabin because your boy cousins were lazy. You filled me with the strength and faith I carry everyday in my heart. The pride I have for being who I am. The people I never met that are cheering me on.

I will major in math for you, grandma. I will show that professor who said you can’t major in it and should really just go into history. I will keep making Easter bread and help it rise with the magic you passed on to me. I will stand strong at 5 feet 2 inches because size doesn’t define strength. I will tell your stories to my grandchildren. I will do my best to live up to my name, your mother’s name. Carmella means orchard, a place that grows beauty within. But Theresa means harvester. That beauty that grows within myself wasn’t anything until you harvested it. You showed me how to use what I have as a gift. I don’t think it’s a coincidence at all that our names are linked like that.

I know sometimes it’s hard to remember small details, but you never ever loose sight of what is important to you. The people you love, the comfort of your past, and the ancestry you hold dearly. I will always carry that with me. Thank you.