Teresa C. Craft

Memorial Visitation for Teresa Christine Craft, 42, of Palatine since 1989, will be held Saturday, February 19, 2022 from 9:00 a.m. until the time of the Memorial Service at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Palatine, 123 N. Plum Grove Road, Palatine.  A Private inurnment will be held in St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery, Palatine. Masks are required to attend the Funeral Services at First United Methodist Church.

Teresa was born February 5, 1979 in Santa Ana, El Salvador, and she passed away unexpectedly, January 27, 2022 at home in Palatine.

Teresa is the beloved daughter of Richard and Linda (nee Barth) Craft; fond sister of Marc Craft (Maribeth); dear aunt of Giselle and Gabriel, niece of Craig Barth and Michelle Barth and cousin of Caitlin and Nicholas.

September 28, 1979, “Pick-up Day,” was the day Teresa met her adoptive parents.  They had traveled to El Salvador to fulfill legal and immigration requirements and to begin to get to know her and her birth country.  Needless to say, no one slept that first night as Terri, as we affectionately called her, scratched and scratched the sides of her basket-crib.

Entering the United States a week later, she waited a year to become a full-fledged US citizen, then proudly raised her right hand (with the help of her father) to take the oath.

Terri spent her early life and elementary years in Hudson, Ohio, where she discovered her love for soccer and softball, piano and clarinet, dogs, and the outdoors.  Along with brother Marc, Terri was the apple of her grandparents’ eye.  She enjoyed playing with friends, especially other children who had come from El Salvador with the help of a local parent support group, Concern for Children.

Her family relocated to Chicagoland in 1989, and Terri maintained her old interests and CFC friendships and added new ones—tennis, jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, cards, and art.  She relished competition with her grandma in games of double solitaire and hearts.  She continued her music lessons.  One of her proudest moments in high school was marching with the PHS Band in the London New Year’s Day parade.  Confirmed at the First United Methodist Church of Palatine, Terri remembered fondly her youth group canoe trip to the Boundary Waters.  After that experience, she looked forward to camping trips with family and friends.  Annual trips to Pokagon State Park in Indiana were favorites.

Terri graduated from Palatine High School in 1997 and attended North Central College and North Park University, focusing on art and drawing.  She worked at Dick’s Sporting Goods in Arlington Hts. for the last fifteen years in apparel, ship-from-store, and her favorite, the loading and unloading dock.

Her beloved dogs–“her girls” Sadie and Lexi–kept her busy at home. The last five years added a new, and maybe the best, chapter to Terri’s life: she became an aunt to Gigi, then Gabe.  She loved to color, laugh, and rough house with them, spoiling them often with presents.  She looked forward to watching them grow up.  We will miss Terri’s playful spirit, her selflessness, deep empathy, and generous heart.

In lieu of flowers, memorials will be appreciated to the Alexian Brothers Center for Mental Health (3436 N. Kennicott Ave., Arlington Heights, IL 60004) or to the Jane Goodall Institute (have notification sent to ljcraft@att.net).

Rest in peace, dear Terri. Que en paz descanse.