Teresa Frances Kusatz

August 24, 1943 ~ July 8, 2025 My Mom was the kindest, most loving, generous, smiley, grace-filled, people-pleasing, sweetest person I have ever known. Her hands were soft and open…to welcome, console, serve, give and encourage. Warm and receiving, but busy piano fingers, helping hands, always cooking, serving, praying and playing. Welcoming with unconditional love and kindness, busy helping, making life easier and happier for everyone else around her. So talented, playing the organ at Mass since she was 14, earning her piano lessons at the Loretto Abbey by cleaning the piano keys in the music studios. Mom taught hundreds of students in our town, and accompanied many vocalists at Church and at others’ events and auditions. She patiently listened to one student after another play Ode to Joy or Sonata In C, over and over and over again, with only the gentlest correction or gracious encouragement. She always made piano lessons playful and fun for the young kids, so careful to encourage their love of music, patiently teaching, letting them play the same couple of notes, 3 times each, and walking her little smurfs or toys across from one side of the piano to the other, with perfect hand-position: perfect chicken coops. She expertly guided older piano students through Conservatory success, while making sure they kept their love for piano with a few favorite popular or reaching pieces, to inspire and encourage them. We’ve heard from so many of her former students, and they all remember her gentle, encouraging ways, her friendly welcoming smile and the way she made each one of them feel so special and loved. Every Sunday she played the organ, looking out over the congregation from her 4” high organ pedestal. Smiling when anyone caught her eye, she never missed a note, even when music sheets fell, a kid climbed under a pew, or her own toddler or grandchild climbed up and down from her lap or squirmed beside her on the organ bench. Mom told me about the treasured comics she saw as a kid that were based on the lives of the saints. She introduced me to the saints, always keeping an impressive practice of prayerful devotions and novenas to saints. Teresa got her ARCT in piano at age 35 and her drivers license at 43. She camped every summer weekend for 30 years, played organ for almost 50, and was CWL President for two terms. She learned TaiChi, and was an active photography club member after she retired. She traveled to Austria many times with her husband Sig, to Ireland twice, and to the Holy Land with her cousins. She would travel near and far to see her family, and her grandchildren and to encourage them. Mom always cheered for me, and calmed me down when I was stressed. She could make anything better. I really don’t think she spent much time thinking about her own needs, but she was always at the ready, anticipating how she could help, how she could make things easier, how she could warm the heart of anyone around her and she always succeeded. She was unapologetically proud of her kids, her grandkids, her students, and the Church choir. Her happy place was being surrounded by her family and close friends. Teresa was the official winner of the Musictown, Ontario Music award. (We’re still not sure where “Musictown, Ontario” is, but our town is tickled pink that Mom received this well-deserved honor.) Mom was named after St Therese, the Little Flower, but her name was mistakenly spelled as St Teresa of Avila like her grandmother. I know I’m not the only one who trusts that there’s a new St Teresa in Heaven. Her parents were older and a little over-protective. She resented the ‘spoiled, only child stereotype’ and spent her life modelling empathy, kindness, selflessness and service to others. I know that Jesus is overjoyed that Mom is up there with Him. I know her parents are so happy to be reunited with her, but I pray Jesus showers us all with Grace, to follow Mom’s lead in kindness; to smile at every single person we meet, to see the good in every person around us, to share our talents and remain ever so humble about it, to help without hesitation and to love unconditionally and selflessly. I just can’t believe that there won’t be another spur-of-the-moment outing for lunch, another secretly-hidden chocolate treat to celebrate or console, another best-Stroganoff-in-the-world for birthday dinner, another St. Patty’s sing-along with Mom’s mad sight-reading skills and  ‘playing by ear’. But I’m consoled by the fact that Mom is closer to us now than ever before, in the Arms of Jesus and playing the piano for our other favorite saints. read more...for Equipping Catholic Families!