Theresa E. Denby

Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies (Proverbs 31:10). This is not only a profound biblical scripture, but characterizes the essence of Theresa E. Denby, who was affectionately known as “Mom, Grandma, Aunt and Tee.” She was born on June 12, 1938, in Brooklyn, New York to the late Albert Ira Denby and Alice Denby. Although she entered this world miraculously as a 3-pound preemie, she was destined for greatness and purpose from the very start. Theresa was the oldest and grew up with her late brother Courtney Albert Denby, lovingly known as “Corky.” She relocated from New York to Doswell, VA at the age of 15. Although tenacious, she was incredibly intelligent and an avid history guru. While attending Hanover County Public Schools, she met the love of her life, the late Joe Louis Jerry, Jr. They later moved to Alexandria, VA, where they met their lifelong friends Floyd and Marlene Rose. She was also very fond of her in-laws Kenneth and Ethel Freeman. She established her roots in Bailey’s Crossroads and subsequently moved to Dale City. She adored her family wholeheartedly and one of the memorable lessons she instilled in them was “never forget the bridge that carried you across.” Theresa embodied the fruit of the spirit, which included love, joy, peace, faithfulness, and kindness. She had an affinity for helping others and worked as a Healthcare Professional for 30+ years. Some of the most notable employers included Northern Virginia Doctor’s Hospital, Kaiser Permanente, but she was most passionate about Private Duty Nursing. She had several hobbies, but mostly known for her cooking. Theresa took pride in cooking for the holiday and especially Thanksgiving where she would make her famous potato salad, sweet potato pie and homemade cakes. She was passionate about reading inspirational books, playing cards, and working on crossword puzzles. Additionally, Theresa loved watching CNN and inspirational shows just to keep her spirits up. She had a number of popular quotes that included, “chile please,” and “I’ll Molly Hop you.” Her infectious laugh would radiate a room where she would get so tickled about something, stomp her feet and then gasp for breath from laughing so hard. Theresa also enjoyed her chats with the front desk staff at her senior citizen apartment and sitting outside on the bench before her declining health. She was a devout believer and follower of Jesus Christ and was a member of The Life Church in Dale City, VA. During her earlier years she was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school. Her love for Jesus Christ remained strong and whenever she would walk into a room her light would shine bright. Theresa’s legacy will forever be cherished. She leaves 6 incredible children – Christopher Jerry, Lisa Njoku (Nelson), Yolande Vincent (Reginald), Anita Fox (Michael), preceded in death Steven Jerry, Antonio “Tony” (Michele) Jerry; 19 grandchildren – Jamal, Kristin, Michael (Glenda), David, Adam, Theresa (Paul), Camillya (Fontaine), Clinton, Drew, Michael II, Aysia, Lashonda, Tynnetta, Jordan, Shante, Antwan, Qurun, Amarion, Allante; 1 god-daughter LaVonne; as well as a host of other family and devoted friends.

Tributes

Theresa E. Denby

November 21, 2023