Therese Jeanne d'Arc Congelio

CANFIELD - Therèse Jeanne d’Arc Bergeron Congelio (“Terry”), 103, passed away on August 17, 2024 after a long and well-lived life.

She was born on May 23, 1921, in the Little Canada section of Lowell, Massachusetts, to Helene and Joseph Bergeron. She was the first of five children.

Terry was the last of the “Greatest Generation” in our family. She was a resilient French-Canadian woman (“good Canadian stock” according to her husband) who spoke fondly of growing up in Lowell. She marched with the Garde St. Joseph — think marching band without instruments — and attended Red Sox games with her father sparking a lifelong love of baseball. And, yes, she did see Babe Ruth.

After high school, she moved to Cambridge to train as a nurse at Holy Ghost Hospital, sending money home to her parents. She had no qualms walking around the Harvard campus or hopping on a bus to go to the beach on her own in the late 1930s.

During WWII, Terry was a Rosie the Riveter, working at the Atlantic Parachute Company with her mother. She was very proud of working there and more than 80 years later could vividly recall the procedures for inspecting a parachute. She met Frank Congelio, an Italian from Uniontown, Pennsylvania, while he was on leave in Lowell. They married on September 14, 1946. They moved to his hometown where she didn’t know a soul and no one spoke French. Either of these challenges would have broken a lesser woman. But not Terry.

She made Uniontown her new home and raised her family of five there until 1968 when the world changed again; Frank received a life-changing offer to work at Sparkle Market in Youngstown. Terry was again up for the challenge in Ohio, so off they went.

Terry joined the Ruritans and the VFW Auxiliary in Canfield, marching in parades, serving at fish fry’s, and forcing (nicely) her grandchildren to sing on stage at the VFW holiday parties. In fairness, they were at their grandchildren’s every sporting event and concert. Frank and Terry took “Mystery Trips” around the country and filled photo albums with pictures of their many adventures. Terry played cards with neighbors and friends from St. Christine’s Church well into her 90s. She was a master at deviled eggs, Thanksgiving stuffing, and Terry’s legendary Ricotta Pie, an Easter family tradition.

After Frank passed in 2009, Terry marched on. She ate what she wanted and stayed up late watching movies. She loved attending Pittsburgh Pirates games for her birthday every year. She was absolutely giddy when she got to meet Steve Blass, a Pirates pitcher, and referred to outfielder Andrew McCutchen as her hero. She never learned to drive (no need to in Lowell) and still managed to live on her own until she was 98, though she did bum rides with her daughter.

Terry was funny and maintained a sense of humor that came out more as she got older. A favorite at the nursing home, Terry gave away her bingo winnings to staff and visitors. She still watched the Pittsburgh Pirates on TV and read the newspaper. She had a stash of chocolate and offered snacks to her guests, just as she did at home. Resilient to the end, even being in a nursing home didn’t get her down. Terry was very much loved and will be very much missed.

Terry was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Helene; siblings Marcel, Yolanda, Jeanne, and “Junior;” her husband of 63 years, Frank; her son, Mark; and her grandson, Jonathan.

She is survived by her four children, Frank Jr. (Nancy), Noel (David), Lou (Rie), and Linda (Jay); grandchildren, Natalie, Jessica, Zac, Christiana, Marisa, Josh, Leanne, Brittany, and Eli; her great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, Nathan, Ahyanna, Savannah, Tatum, Noah, Emmi, Zach, Isaiah, Micah, Alice, Maizy, Marcella, Michael, Sonny, and Karaleen.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Cheryl, Ty, Dr. Demidovich and the entire staff at Windsor House at Canfield for the wonderful loving care they have provided.

Calling hours will be held Sunday, August 25 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Home, Austintown Chapel – 4303 Mahoning Ave., followed by a mass of Christian Burial on Monday, August 26 at 11 a.m. at St. Christine Church. Interment will be at Green Haven Cemetery following mass.

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