Obituary of Theresa (Roberts) Gatti

Theresa (Roberts) Gatti, 57, of Peabody, beloved wife of John Gatti, dear mother of Katherine and Laura and loving grandmother of Hannah, died on September 10, 2010, at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers, following a valiant 10-year battle with brain cancer. The daughter of the late Elmer and Joan (Davis) Roberts, Theresa was born in Buffalo, NY, on June 8, 1953, and spent her childhood years in Kentucky and South Carolina. In January 1971, she and her mother moved to Massachusetts to be near her mother’s supportive and caring family. Theresa joined the senior class at St. James High School in Salem. The group she formed there remained her lifelong friends (the HENS) whom she loved as sisters. They dearly cherished their time with her. Theresa was educated at Salem State College, where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in English in 1975, and her master’s in Early Childhood Education in 1998. While working toward her bachelor’s degree, she met John, the love of her life, and they married in 1976. Theresa delighted in her role as a devoted and loving stay-at-home mother to Katherine and Laura, before returning to teach early childhood education. She resumed her career at Sacred Heart School in Lynn, where she was loved and respected by all. A true “Steel Magnolia,” Theresa cared for her husband and children in such a way that the love in their home could be felt by all. A longtime parishioner at St. John the Baptist in Peabody, Theresa served as a Eucharistic Minister there for over 10 years, as well as at Sacred Heart in Lynn. Theresa loved to entertain, and prior to being stricken with cancer, hosted numerous parties at her home. Theresa was active in her neighborhood and served as treasurer of the Osborne Heights Neighborhood Association. Always a gracious and fun-loving hostess, she seemed to carry off many get-togethers effortlessly. Theresa is survived by her loving husband, John Gatti, whose devotion to her was inspirational to all who knew them, and with whom she shared 34 wonderful years of marriage, as well as by her two adoring daughters, Katherine and her husband Scott Cameron (and their daughter, Hannah Theresa) of Middleton, and Laura and her husband Robert Mayer of Peabody. She is also survived by her brother and his family, whom she adored: Tony Roberts, his wife Sheila, and their two children, Anna and James, of Merrimac. Also surviving Theresa are her mother and father in law, numerous brothers and sisters in law, nieces and nephews, cousins, uncles and aunts (in particular, her beloved aunt Mary Jane Blais of Salem), and her loving HENS. Theresa’s family also wishes to express their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Wen and the staff at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, as well as the team of caregivers at Hospice of the North Shore. In addition, Theresa requested that special thanks be paid to Father John P. McDonough for his visits, prayers and insightful conversations. The funeral service will be held Wednesday, September 15 at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Church, 17 Chestnut St, Peabody. Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday 2-4 and 6-8 at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur on 82 Lynn St, Peabody. Donations may be made in Theresa’s name to the Brain Tumor Society at http://www.braintumor.org/ or 124 Watertown Street, Suite 2D Watertown, MA 02472.