Theresa J. Woolsey

Theresa Joan Woolsey, 85, of Great Falls, passed away on September 7, 2014 at Peace Hospice surrounded by her children and friend Sister Rita.Visitation will be held at Schnider Funeral Home from 10:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 11, 2014, 1510 13 St So, Great Falls. A funeral liturgy followed by a luncheon will be celebrated at Holy Spirit Catholic Church, where Theresa was a dedicated member of the community for many years, at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 12th, 2014, at 201 44th Street South, Great Falls. Entombment at Hillcrest Lawn Mausoleum will follow the luncheon. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangementsTheresa was born to Frank & Pauline (Van Steenvoort) Dykhoff on November 1, 1928 in Devils Lake, North Dakota. She attended grade school in Bartlett, ND and graduated from high school in Lakota, ND in 1947. That November, she married Andy Hursman. They later moved to Great Falls and had four children: Randy, Kathy, Karel and Kelly. They later divorced, and in 1973 Theresa married the love of her life, Jerry D. Woolsey.Theresa worked at Bailers Ice Cream Shop, Ben Franklin, and retired from Snyder Drug Store. She loved to do crossword puzzles, garden, and just work outdoors in her yard. Many cold winter days were spent doing puzzles with Jerry. In the spring she would paint figurines and make stepping stones for her gardens which she was always so proud of. She especially enjoyed helping her great-grandchildren make stepping stones for their mom and sharing her unique stones with family and friends.Theresa is survived by daughters Kathy (Rick) Skinner of Helena, Karel (Ken) Barrett of Kalispell, and son, Kelly (Julie) Hursman of Great Falls; stepchildren Mandi Yeager and Carl Woolsey of Mount Vernon, Washington; siblings Lyle Dykhoff, Julie (Babe) Kunkel and Doris (Don) Mueller of Devils Lake, North Dakota, and Carol ( Dave) Coyer of Roberts Wisconsin; nine grandchildren and seven great grand children; many nieces and nephews; and many great friends - too numerous to name.Theresa was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Woolsey; her infant son, Randy; her parents, Frank and Pauline (Van Steenvoort) Dykhoff; grandson Brian Hall; brothers Laurence, Louis and Carl; and sisters Isabel Rafferty and Esther Falk.Mom left us way too soon, but was never complete after Jerry died. She will always be in our hearts and we are comforted knowing that she is now with him.In lieu of flowers, please make memorials in Theresas name to Peace Hospice of Montana, 1101 26th St S, or the American Lung Association of Montana, 825 Helena Ave, Helena, MT 59601.The family would like to thank Peace Hospice, the wonderful nurses that took such loving care of our mom, Sister Rita for being there for mom and all of us, and her special friend Terri, from the Lodge.