ORONO, MAINE - Theresa “Terri” Morrow, 85, passed away peacefully on Friday, May 17th, 2024, with her two loving daughters by her side. She was born on February 11, 1939, in Wyoming, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Andrew and Mildred Mazzarella. A proud daughter of a coal miner, she was one of six children and enjoyed growing up in an Italian/Polish neighborhood. She went to high school at Wyoming Memorial high school, graduating in 1956. She attended Wilkes College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, graduating with an associate degree in 1958.
She ventured away from the ‘valley’ to begin her professional career at Princeton Hospital in Princeton, New Jersey. It was in Princeton where she met the ‘man of her dreams’, Richard, her wonderful husband of 55 years who was pursuing a PhD in physics. They were married at the Princeton Chapel in 1964. After several years in Princeton, they moved to Wilder, Vermont where she worked at Mary Hitchcock Memorial hospital in Hanover, New Hampshire. In 1966, they welcomed their first daughter, Nancy.
In 1970, Richard accepted a position in the Physics department at the University of Maine in Orono which became their forever home for the next 50 years and immediately welcomed their second daughter, Michele. Terri was a devoted mother to her young daughters and the many kids on Forest Avenue. She was a regular room mother at Asa Adams, involved in Brownies and an excellent jump rope turner for the neighborhood kids. Terri loved the town of Orono and immersed herself in the community. She was a member of the Town Council and Orono Health Association as well as an active member of the Food Co-operative in the 1970’s. She was instrumental, with her dear friend (the late) Lois Labeau, in creating the Orono Festival days in the late 1970s and early 1980s. A wonderful town celebration with music, vendors and a canoe race down the Stillwater River. She was an avid historian for her family and the town of Orono. For over 30 years, she helped organize the annual Mazzarella family reunion in Pennsylvania. She was a proud member of the Orono Historical Society and was involved in the restoration project of the Civil War monument which resides at the Orono Cemetery. She loved learning new things and in her early 60’s, began teaching herself Spanish and gathered a conversational group who have been meeting weekly for the past twenty years. Through her involvement with and connection to Orono, Terri developed lifelong friendships.
After a decade of raising her children, Terri joined Beal College in 1982 as a Medical Assisting teacher and eventually became the program director until her retirement in 2001. She was loved and respected by a generation of students and was affectionately referred to as “Mother Morrow”.
Terri loved to travel. At age 20, she spent a summer traveling alone through France and Italy, visiting relatives, and exploring new cities. She enjoyed two cross country trips by car and an unforgettable week at the Grand Canyon. She traveled back to Europe several times with family, enjoying trips to London, Scotland, Italy, Amsterdam, Austria and Prague. She loved a good bloody mary on Saint Peterburg’s beach in Florida where she travelled annually with her children and grandchildren. She often travelled to Canada to visit her grandchildren and one of her last trips with her husband was to northern Manitoba for a polar bear tour.
Terri cherished the simple things in life: tending to her beautiful flowers; eating a fresh tomato from her vegetable garden; a red hotdog from the Kiwanis auction; a visit to the Blue Hill Fair. She made a delicious zucchini soup and was known for her baked ziti and tomato sauce. She was a voracious reader and a lover of Netflix.
One of her greatest joys in life was becoming a Nana. She adored her three grandchildren. Her last big trip was to her oldest granddaughter’s wedding where she proudly repeated to anyone that would listen “I got to dance with my grandson”. She spoke openly many times that she had lived a wonderful life, with a loving family and husband, devoted friends, and no regrets.
She was predeceased by her husband, Richard Morrow, Ph. D., professor emeritus of physics at the University of Maine; sisters, Rosalie and Louella and brothers, Charles and Andrew. She is survived by her two daughters, Nancy LaChance (Peter) of Whitby, Ontario and Michele Morrow (Kenny) of Candia, NH; three grandchildren, Stephanie (Mitchell) Marner, Rachel LaChance, and Gregory LaChance; her brother, Joseph (Marilyn) of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, brother in-law, Michael of London, England, sister in-law, Mary Alice of Exeter, Pennsylvania, and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. Plus special, dear friends Jeanna Tuell, Jean Sweetser and Dwight and Emily Hasbrouck.
A celebration of life will take place at a later date in Orono. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Friends of the Orono Public Library, 39 Pine St., Orono, ME 04473. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Theresa Morrow, please visit our flower store.
She ventured away from the ‘valley’ to begin her professional career at Princeton Hospital in Princeton, New Jersey. It was in Princeton where she met the ‘man of her dreams’, Richard, her wonderful husband of 55 years who was pursuing a PhD in physics. They were married at the Princeton Chapel in 1964. After several years in Princeton, they moved to Wilder, Vermont where she worked at Mary Hitchcock Memorial hospital in Hanover, New Hampshire. In 1966, they welcomed their first daughter, Nancy.
In 1970, Richard accepted a position in the Physics department at the University of Maine in Orono which became their forever home for the next 50 years and immediately welcomed their second daughter, Michele. Terri was a devoted mother to her young daughters and the many kids on Forest Avenue. She was a regular room mother at Asa Adams, involved in Brownies and an excellent jump rope turner for the neighborhood kids. Terri loved the town of Orono and immersed herself in the community. She was a member of the Town Council and Orono Health Association as well as an active member of the Food Co-operative in the 1970’s. She was instrumental, with her dear friend (the late) Lois Labeau, in creating the Orono Festival days in the late 1970s and early 1980s. A wonderful town celebration with music, vendors and a canoe race down the Stillwater River. She was an avid historian for her family and the town of Orono. For over 30 years, she helped organize the annual Mazzarella family reunion in Pennsylvania. She was a proud member of the Orono Historical Society and was involved in the restoration project of the Civil War monument which resides at the Orono Cemetery. She loved learning new things and in her early 60’s, began teaching herself Spanish and gathered a conversational group who have been meeting weekly for the past twenty years. Through her involvement with and connection to Orono, Terri developed lifelong friendships.
After a decade of raising her children, Terri joined Beal College in 1982 as a Medical Assisting teacher and eventually became the program director until her retirement in 2001. She was loved and respected by a generation of students and was affectionately referred to as “Mother Morrow”.
Terri loved to travel. At age 20, she spent a summer traveling alone through France and Italy, visiting relatives, and exploring new cities. She enjoyed two cross country trips by car and an unforgettable week at the Grand Canyon. She traveled back to Europe several times with family, enjoying trips to London, Scotland, Italy, Amsterdam, Austria and Prague. She loved a good bloody mary on Saint Peterburg’s beach in Florida where she travelled annually with her children and grandchildren. She often travelled to Canada to visit her grandchildren and one of her last trips with her husband was to northern Manitoba for a polar bear tour.
Terri cherished the simple things in life: tending to her beautiful flowers; eating a fresh tomato from her vegetable garden; a red hotdog from the Kiwanis auction; a visit to the Blue Hill Fair. She made a delicious zucchini soup and was known for her baked ziti and tomato sauce. She was a voracious reader and a lover of Netflix.
One of her greatest joys in life was becoming a Nana. She adored her three grandchildren. Her last big trip was to her oldest granddaughter’s wedding where she proudly repeated to anyone that would listen “I got to dance with my grandson”. She spoke openly many times that she had lived a wonderful life, with a loving family and husband, devoted friends, and no regrets.
She was predeceased by her husband, Richard Morrow, Ph. D., professor emeritus of physics at the University of Maine; sisters, Rosalie and Louella and brothers, Charles and Andrew. She is survived by her two daughters, Nancy LaChance (Peter) of Whitby, Ontario and Michele Morrow (Kenny) of Candia, NH; three grandchildren, Stephanie (Mitchell) Marner, Rachel LaChance, and Gregory LaChance; her brother, Joseph (Marilyn) of Wyoming, Pennsylvania, brother in-law, Michael of London, England, sister in-law, Mary Alice of Exeter, Pennsylvania, and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. Plus special, dear friends Jeanna Tuell, Jean Sweetser and Dwight and Emily Hasbrouck.
A celebration of life will take place at a later date in Orono. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Friends of the Orono Public Library, 39 Pine St., Orono, ME 04473. Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.
Photo Gallery
Guestbook
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors