Theresa J. "Tess" Myszewski, Whitewater, WI/Milton  (1910 - 2013)

October 16, 1910 - February 17, 2013
Theresa J. Myszewski "Tess" died following a short illness at Huntington Place, Janesville, WI. She lived to be 102 years old. Tess was born at home in Milwaukee, WI, on Oct. 16, 1910, the third of seven children, to Joseph and Julia (Gotthardt) Mimier. She attended Milwaukee Girl's Trade and Technical High School, graduating after two years with a millinery degree. She worked at Phoenix Hosiery for $0.17 an hour, contributing her earnings to her family. While growing up, she enjoyed swimming, roller-skating and tennis. She volunteered as a seamstress at the Margaret Alice Settlement House making costumes for theatre productions of The Milwaukee Players, a group of amateur thespians who maintained their friendship for over 70 years. Tess was the last remaining member of this group. It was here that she met Edward Myszewski, whom she married on Oct. 11, 1934. Their marriage continued until Sept. 24, 1982, when Edward died. He was always in her thoughts.
They lived in Milwaukee until May 1945, when they bought a farm north of Milton Junction, WI, and moved their family of three children to live there. In 1956, the family moved to another farm on J-L Townline Road, Johnstown Township, Whitewater, WI, where Tess lived until 2008, the last 26 years by herself.
Tess took great joy in living on the farm, raising flowers and vegetables, cooking, freezing and canning what she grew. She was an accomplished seamstress, sewing clothes, knitting socks, gloves and mittens, scarves, sweaters, constructing braided rugs, croqueting bedspreads, and sewing patchwork quilts. After moving to an apartment at Huntington Place in 2008, she covered hundreds of clothes hangers with yarn, confident that no one could ever have enough yarn-covered hangers.
She was an active member of St Mary Catholic Parish, Milton. For years, she sewed, embroidered and contributed some 1450 baptismal gowns for the newborn of the parish. She also knitted and contributed a fisherman's knit sweater to the parish's annual Fall Bazaar that often fell on her birthday.
Tess was preceded in death by her husband, Edward; parents, Joseph and Julia Mimier; sister, Bridget (Raash); brothers: Joseph, Edward, John, Ervin and Lauren Mimier. She is survived by her daughter, Kathleen Tessmer (Dale) of Madison, WI; sons: Michael (Martha) of Des Moines, IA, Mathew (Susan) of Nashua, NH, and John (Elaine) of Janesville, WI; grandchildren: Paul Tessmer of Madison, WI, Julie Tessmer of Madison, WI, Nancy Belmont of Arlington, VA, Margaret Myszewski of Crawford, GA, Christopher Myszewski of Waukee, IA, Sarah Mills of Billerica, MA, James Jennings of Duxbury, VT, Jerome Myszewski of Janesville, WI, Amy Fenwick of Mansfield, TX, Chad Myszewski of Mansfield, TX, Andrew Myszewski of Whitewater, WI; 18 great-grandchildren: Alex and Kaitlyn Tessmer, Max, Ben and Tess Belmont, Luke Mills, Nicolas and Liam Jennings, Jordan, Nicole and Jack Myszewski, McKena and Reave Myszewski, Bailey, Jade and Travis Myszewski, Dane and Lola Myszewski; many nieces and nephews; and her cousins: Norbert Mimier, Nancy Kulinski and Florence Bey.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013, at ST. MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, Milton, with Msgr. James Uppena officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery, Milton. Visitation will be held on Friday, Feb. 22, 2013, at the ALBRECHT FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATION SERVICES, MILTON. from 4 until 7 p.m. and from 10 a.m. until the start the service at the CHURCH on Saturday.
Donations may be directed to: St Mary Parish, 837 Parkview Drive, Milton, WI 53563; or Huntington Place, 3801 N. Wright Road, Janesville, WI 53546.
The family expresses their appreciation and thanks to the staff at Huntington Place for the kind care and attention they provided to Tess during her stay.