Theresa Hood

THERESA HOOD

Prairieburg

Theresa Hood, of Omaha, Neb., passed away peacefully at Valley Eldercare in Grand Forks, N.D., on Aug. 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 Iowa State Teachers College (now 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 before moving to Omaha 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 traveling 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; 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, N.D.; and her son, Randolph Hood, and his wife, Julie, and their son, Bradley, of Pleasanton, Calif. Survivors also include her brothers, Stanley Lawrence, and his wife, Marianne, of Central City and Gilbert Lawrence, and his wife, Marita, of Hiawatha; her sister, Virginia Elliott, and her husband, Marvin, of Long Grove; along with many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life for Theresa will be held at Murdoch Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Marion on Tuesday, Aug. 22, at 11 a.m., with visitation two hours before the service. Internment will follow at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Prairieburg.

Memorials may be made to Grand Cities Children's Choir of Grand Forks, N.D., an organization which three of her grandchildren have been very involved in, and whose concerts she enjoyed over the years.

Our beloved Mom, Mimi, Sister, Aunt and friend will be deeply missed.

Please share a memory of Theresa at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.