Theresa Allison Buchele, the daughter of Luther and Joan Buchele was born November 13, 1964 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She graduated in 1987 from Crestwood High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan after having attended both Crestwood and Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Theresa was one of the most generous people we’ve ever known. She never had much, but she was always willing to share whatever she had. She didn’t know the meaning of the word “mine!” because if she had something that other people could use, she shared it. She used to get in trouble with her landlords because she had so many friends who needed housing, and she would let them all stay with her. Her landlords would get quite upset when they found out 5-6 people were staying in a one bedroom apartment!

Theresa’s commitment to her job at Full Circle Community Center in Ypsilanti came out of her sympathetic, non-judgmental and bighearted nature. There, Theresa worked as a member liaison officer for almost 20 years helping individuals with mental illness help themselves. Theresa was tremendous at making everyone who came through the door feel like family, and was instrumental in helping them take their first step towards individual dignity and self worth.

As a youth, Theresa took her role as a big sister seriously. She was terrified that Libbie and Heidi would have trouble in school like she did, so she spent hours playing “school” with them, teaching them letters and numbers. As a result, Libbie found kindergarten quite boring because Theresa had already taught her everything she needed to know, while Heidi felt she would rather have been home schooled.

Theresa took relationships and friendships very seriously. Once she had committed to someone, she was committed through thick and thin. She could be endlessly forgiving of others’ mistakes (though much less so of her own), and was extraordinarily kind and gentle to people in need. But we had never seen Theresa as happy as she was once she found Jon, and moved to Rock Port, Missouri.

In moving to Missouri we believe Theresa at last found a balance allowing her to continue giving but also finally finding and receiving love and satisfaction in her personal relationships. Theresa absolutely loved children and badly wanted children of her own. We are so glad that she met and married John, and had the opportunity to be the mother of his children. Theresa passed away January 22, 2009 at Community Hospital-Fairfax, Missouri at the age of 44 years.

We are so sad that she was taken away so quickly after finding such happiness. We will miss her terribly.

Theresa was preceded in death by her father, Luther Holroyd Buchele. Survivors include Jon, Waymon, Robert and Phyllis Hollister of Rock Port; Theresa’s mother, Joan Buchele of Ann Arbor; brother, Royd and Renee Buchele of Tecumseh, Michigan; sisters, Libbie Buchele and Eric Hoy of Washington, DC; and Heidi and Michael Harris of Ann Arbor, plus 5 nieces and nephews.

Memorial Service: 10:30 am, Monday, January 26, 2009, First Lutheran Church, Rock Port. There is no visitation.
A private inurnment will be held at a later date in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Theresa Hollister Memorial Fund.
Services under the direction of Minter Funeral Chapels, Rock Port.