Teresa Ann Warren Sack
Teresa Ann Warren came into the world April 15, 1967 at A. Barton Hepburn Hospital, daughter of Rose (Reed) Warren & Keith Jerome Warren, at a very blue 11 pounds 1 oz, with the doctor advising he expected future medical issues. He was so right. Teresa was born with challenges most people have never heard of. She had a genetic neurological condition called Neurofibromatosis which was finally diagnosed at age 5 when she went into a full upper body brace for Scoliosis. The brace was her constant companion other than an hour a day for bathing and exercises until age 14 when she underwent surgery, with a second surgery a few months later; she came home about 3 inches taller in a full upper body cast worn 8 months; after that, goodbye stretch pants, hello to jeans.
She attended schools in Morristown, and Lisbon, N.Y., graduating from Lisbon Central School, receiving awards from Who’s Who in American High Schools, and the National Honor Society, both for academic achievement; she completed a two-year Associate Degree at now defunct Maria Regina College in Syracuse, receiving an award from Who’s Who in American Junior Colleges; then attended and graduated from Plattsburg State University. After college she moved to Greenwood Lake, NY, sharing residence with her college roommate and subsequent lifelong friend, Trish. Shortly after moving to Greenwood Lake, she met and married the love of her life, Samuel Sack, New Brunswick, N.J. They lived in Plainsboro, N.J., Oxnard, Ca., where son Mark was born, Middletown, N.Y., and Lawrenceville, N.J. For a portion of her life, Teresa worked in nursing homes as a diet tech.
After moving to Lawrenceville, she became a substitute teacher of young handicapped children, which she loved, maybe even her true calling. She substituted at various schools but mainly Benjamin Franklin School, Lawrence, N.J. When a child made even slight progress under her tutelage, it gave her wings to know she had helped someone. Throughout life, she has faced life-threatening issues and surgeries, dealt with her disfiguring appearance of thousands of very prominent, very visible fibroid tumors. In spite of her appearance, she carried herself with grace and dignity, not allowing anyone or anything to get her down, always with that quirky sense of humor, friendly demeanor, and beautiful smile. She enjoyed reading, making jewelry and looming, gifting projects to nieces and nephews. When not at school, she was happy as a housewife and mother. At the other end, Mark also has Neurofibromatosis and his parents faced the stinging knowledge of their child having a pediatric brain tumor and the loss of a kidney from the disease.
Teresa passed in her sleep in the early morning of October 29, 2020. She shares that date with her Grandmother, Marion Reed, who passed away October 29, 2011, and Brother-in-Law Jerry Majetich, brutally attacked while serving with the U.S. Army in Iraq, again October 29, 2005. Though surviving, he received multiple injuries from an IED, the most noticeable being the partial loss of a hand, his nose (rebuilt) and his ears, with 38{15c4376e9dc03d1ece550175af112b5bfa8aeed382182248effd1ca099958ac2} of his body burned. Jerry and Teresa had bonded over their mutual disfiguring challenges, especially when encountering the public.
Teresa is survived by her husband of 30+ loving years, Samuel Sack, and son, Mark, Lawrenceville, NJ; Mother, Rose Warren, Hermon, NY; Sisters: Lisa Johnson, Geneva, NY; Edie & Jeff Jennings, Valdesta, Ga.; Mary-Ella & Jerry Majetich, Jacksonville, Fl.; Hallie & Robert Miller, Chase Mills, NY; brother, Jeremiah Warren & Jennifer Shampine, Hermon, NY; Uncle, Fred Reed & Carol Coller, Hermon, NY; Aunt Peggy Reed, Brother-in-law, David Sack, New Brunswick, NJ; Nieces and Nephews: Cody Butler (son, Owen) & Danielle Stickney, Canton, NY; Julia Warren, Victoria, B.C., Canada; Tori Warren & Anthony Cantrell, Plattsburgh, NY; Jacob Majetich, and Noah Fredrich, Jacksonville, Fl.; Zachary Johnson, Geneva, NY; Sara Miller, Chase Mill NY; Alisabeth and Jaelynn Warren, Hermon, NY.
Teresa was predeceased by her Father, Keith J. Warren; Uncles Donald & Edward Warren, Bernard Reed; Aunts: Agnes White, Alice Robinson; Grandparents, Fred & Marion Reed; Ella & Michael Warren; In-laws, Max & Alice Sack; Brother, Robert Brenno.
A graveside service will be at 3 PM at the Hermon Cemetery, Hermon, NY with Robert LeClair officiating on September 4, 2021. A celebration of life will follow the service at the Skunks Nest in Hermon, NY. Contributions in lieu of flowers can be made to the Neurofibromatosis Network, P.O. Box 1530, Wheaton, IL 60187.