Teresa M. Fow, age 95, passed away peacefully at her daughter’s home in Sandy Hook, Connecticut, on April 10, 2023, after a long fight with Parkinson’s Disease. She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on April 8, 1928, to Carmine Adinolfi and Caroline Monetti Adinolfi. Teresa graduated from Central High School Needle of Trades in 1946 and attended Naugatuck Valley Community College when she was in her 50s.

She married Francis Paul Grassini in 1947 and had three children while they resided in Astoria, N.Y. In 1953 they moved to Connecticut and in 1955 purchased a farm (now forest land) in Naugatuck, Conn. This marriage ended in 1967. After a couple of years, she was briefly married to Gordon Fow.

In 1957 Teresa went to work as an extruder for Uniroyal. After her divorce from Frank, she left Uniroyal and had a lengthy career as an information operator for Southern New England Telephone. During her time at SNET she supplemented her income as a waitress/hostess, a department store retail clerk, a typist, and a home health companion for elderly and disabled clients.

Teresa was a member of PWP (Parents Without Partners) and served on the club’s board in several capacities including president. She worked with the Naugatuck team that fought to create the Gunntown Passive Park and Nature Preserve and served as secretary. Through Naugatuck’s program for seniors, she volunteered her time as a receptionist at Naugatuck City Hall. She filled her retirement years with gardening.

She was predeceased by her parents, her brother and sister-in-law Alfred and Lillian Adinolfi, and her sister and brother-in-law Rosalind and Frank LoGuidice.

Teresa is survived by her three children: Deborah Grassini DeRienz of Woodbury, Conn., Renee Grassini (Jay) Gill of Sandy Hook, Conn., and Dane (Dorina) Grassini of New Britain, Conn.; and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Christina Hodge (Aaron and Emily Hodge) of Indiana, Jennifer Gill and Michael Higginson of Naugatuck, Conn., (Mystic Higginson of Indiana), Rebecca DeRienz and Murry deLeeuw (Liza and Emmitt deLeeuw) of Ohio, Paul DeRienz of California, and Adriana and Dan Radu (Theo and Lucas) of Weston, Conn. She is also survived by her youngest brother and sister-in-law Richard and Maria Adinolfi, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.

Donations of remembrance may be made to PPMD (Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy) 1012 14th NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20005; or to a charity of your choosing.