HOOKSETT ---- Therese, affectionately known as Terri, was born on October 11, 1962 in Springfield, MA to Karlene (Kuralt) and Ronald Patenaude. After battling health issues for years, she passed away too soon on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at Boston Medical Center, at the age of 61.
Terri had no shortage of brains! She graduated early from Somers High School in 1980. Then she attended Eastern CT State University, where she blossomed academically. She graduated in 1984 Summa Cum Laude, with a double major in Computer Science and Math. While attending college, she met the love of her life, Glen A. Zimmerman. They married in 1985 and spent the next 38+ years together.
Terri's first job with Digital took the pair to New Hampshire. At Digital, she met her best friend and soul-sister, Mary Pawelko. When Digital became Oracle, Terri continued working for them as a software engineer, until she got sick of it and retired in 2007.
Terri had a wild side. She had a great attitude, and found fun everywhere. She had a witty, ribald sense of humor and a (very loud) infectious laugh. She probably watched the movie Bad Santa a hundred times. She believed that "a good friend will come and bail you out of jail, but a best friend will be sitting next to you saying, 'Damn, that was fun!’"
No one could intimidate her. Teri was energetic, and her heart was huge and compassionate. She gravitated towards those who were different or misunderstood. The woman was all about inclusion before that became a thing. The more unique someone was, the more interesting she found them.
Terri found fulfillment as a volunteer for the Manchester Animal Shelter, serving as Director of the Board. She ended up adopting many residents, mostly the defective ones. In addition to caring for a bazillion cats, she and Glen had a toothy, lovable dog named Luther who injured his back and ended up in a wheelchair. They also got him a set of skis for NH winters. A few of her favorite felines were Shitten, renowned for frequent diarrhea, and Roo, who hopped around on bent front legs like a kangaroo.
On top of that, Terri volunteered for The Webster House, a foster home for teens. She hosted Christmas celebrations and summer outings for the kids at their vacation home on Bow Lake, where she and Glen also entertained family and a pontoon-boatload of friends.
Family was very important to Terri. She is survived by her devoted husband Glen; parents Ron and Karlene Patenaude, of Somers, CT; sister, Michelle and her husband Dave Hoyt; brother, Guy Patenaude and his wife Chris, of Stafford Springs, CT; in-laws Julie Miller and Chuck, of Texas, Bet Zimmerman Smith, of Woodstock, CT; partner-in-crime, Larry Zimmerman, and a passel of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her beloved mother-in-law Joan and Glen's brother Doug.
A casual Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 1 pm at the Clubhouse on Roseland Park Golf Course, 205 Roseland Park Road, Woodstock CT, followed by horses duvers and tasty beverages.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to The Manchester Animal Center, 490 Dunbarton Rd, Manchester, NH 03102, manchesteranimalshelter.org would honor Terri's generous spirit by continuing her efforts to give animals a better tomorrow.
"Love doesn't die, people do. When all that's left of me is love, give me away."
-Mourner's Kaddish
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia NH is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to wilkinsonbeane.com.