Therese Ternes

A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday at 10:30 AM at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ledyard with Father Sunny Dominic and Father Edward M. Girres officiating. Burial will in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 PM Friday at the Church with a rosary beginning at 4 PM and a scripture prayer service beginning at 7 PM. Mary Therese (Brennan) Ternes was born on March 15, 1936, in LeMars, the daughter of Charles Joseph and Mary Elizabeth (Shanahan) Brennan. She grew up on a farm south of Oyens and attended St. Catherine's Grade School graduating from Union High School in 1953. Therese, as she was known by all, attended Briar Cliff College and received a degree in elementary education. She taught in Correctionville and Hartley before finding a teaching position in Fairmont, MN. While there, she met the love of her life, Lawrence Ternes. Therese and Lawrence were united in marriage on June 24, 1961, at St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Oyens. After their marriage, they lived in Ledyard where they raised their family of four. When all the children were in school, Therese found her way back into the educational system as a para-educator. Over the n...[more]

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25 years, she touched and influenced countless lives with her passion to help children learn. Family and faith ware the most important things in her life. Therese enjoyed spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Her garden and her flowers were Therese's other passion. If she wasn't walking somewhere, you could find her outside. Sharing was part of Therese's generous spirit. She was always willing to share the fruits of her gardening labors with everyone. Therese died Wednesday, February 18, 2015 at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Fairmont, MN. She was one month shy of her 79th birthday. She is survived by her husband Lawrence of Ledyard; children Jeanne Ternes of Mankato, MN, Lois (Mike) Harrison of Swea City, John (Laurie) Ternes of Ledyard, and Lawrence J. (Karen) Ternes of Mankato, MN; 8 grandchildren, Katherine, Michael, and Elizabeth Harrison; Drake and Tyler Ternes; and Kylie, Josie, and Jack Ternes; step-grandchildren, Jeremiah and Jennifer Denn, Sara Westphal, Samantha Kirkegaard, Jheri Gilbert, Toni Harrison, Tristan Brown, and Amber Kiel; and 14 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are sisters-in-law, Ruth Brennan, and Linda O'Brien; brothers-in-law, Wayne (Melanie) Ternes, LeRoy Ternes; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; 3 brothers John and Donald in infancy, and Harold Brennan; a nephew, Mike Brennan; parents-in-law, Lawrence A. and Mildred Ternes; 3 brothers-in-law, Charles (Clare) Ternes, Harry (Marion Rose) Ternes and Thomas O'Brien; and 2 sisters-in-law, Adeline Ternes and Marion (Vern) Sifrit.