Obituary of Theresa Mary Prudente
Theresa Mary (Paczynski) Prudente, 96, of Glastonbury, and formally of East Hartford and Colchester, beloved wife of the late Anthony Prudente, passed away peacefully with family by her side on Monday, January 5, 2026 at Hartford Hospital. She was born on March 14, 1929 in New York City to the late Nicholas and Katherine (Rzenik) Paczynski.
After graduating high school, Teri was a full-charge bookkeeper in retail, primarily at Federated Department Stores in Manhattan. After starting a family, she worked part-time at Levine & Levine Co. in Colchester and later as a buyer assistant at G. Fox & Co. in Hartford. She also ran an amazingly successful Avon business for several years.
Teri was full of personality and loved to socialize. She was a proud native New Yorker who exuded the energy and verve of the city, with just enough sass to keep it interesting. She often shared memorable stories of simpler times while growing up in New York City, when people focused on family and friends. She was also proud of her Polish-Ukrainian heritage, often referring to herself as “one tough Pole.” And was she ever – living independently in her house of 34 years, tending to her meticulous gardens and constantly on the go with her daily business, always stylishly put together, up until the time of her passing. She was a hot ticket.
Teri was also a natural in the kitchen, delighting her family with traditional Polish and Italian dishes (the latter learned from her in-laws), as well as classic American cuisine. She loved cooking for holiday gatherings. Christmas was her favorite time of year, when she enjoyed spending hours preparing holiday specialties for family. Warm memories of those feasts will always remain with those who attended.
Teri is survived by her son Joe and his wife Yvonne, and daughter Kathi, all of Glastonbury; by her grandchildren (whom she absolutely adored) Corinne of Astoria, NY, and Mark of Glastonbury; and by several nieces, nephews and close friends. She was predeceased by her younger sister Katherine (Kitty) Galletto.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, September 12, at 2:00pm at the Minnechaug Village Clubhouse, 17 Fairway Crossing, Glastonbury, CT.
Memorial donations may be made to BrightFocus Foundation Macular Degeneration Research (www.brightfocus.org/macular/).