Theresa L. Ackley passed away in Tempe, Arizona on Saturday April 26, 2025, at the age of 73. She was born in Chicago at Jackson Park Hospital on June 3, 1951, the daughter of the late Joseph Kasperavicius and Irena Parakininkas.

Terry (as her friends and family called her) is survived and missed by her only son Jason, his wife Geraldine, her three grandchildren Ethan, Michaela, and Lucinda, and her partner of over 25 years, Steven.

The daughter of Lithuanian immigrants, Terry’s parents escaped the turmoil of World War II in Europe to establish a new life in America on the Southside of Chicago. Along with her two sisters Kris and Mary, she attended Nativity B.V.M. Elementary School and Maria High School near Marquette Park. But in many ways Terry’s ultimate life story is her son’s story. She was enrolled at The American Academy of Art to pursue a degree in illustration when she paused her studies at the age of 19 to become a mother. By the age of 22 she was a divorcee, raising Jason as a single mom in the Northside neighborhood of Rogers Park in Chicago. Working long daytime shifts as a waitress provided the needed economic support while also ensuring she was home in the evenings for her son. This sacrifice and steadfast dedication as a mother revealed the kind of work ethic, tenacity, and sense of humility (and sense of humor) required to get through life’s most trying times.

Terry worked hard her whole life for her son. But she also enjoyed the best life had to offer. She was a lover of art, music, and literature. A voracious reader, she gained deep, broad, and sometimes hyper obscure knowledge that spanned a wide range of subjects that enabled her to solve even the most challenging Sunday New York Times crossword puzzles with stunning efficiency. Artistic expression was ever-present in her life as well. She was an amazing illustrator in her own right. The walls of her home were adorned with unique and diverse works of art, a passion fueled by the close circle of artist friends she surrounded herself with, informing and feeding an always-growing collection. Music was also a constant presence, with an eclectic mix of genres and musical eras reverberating to set the soundtrack for the rich and energized household she created for herself and her son to thrive in. And maybe the most prominent of all her creative passions was the one she had for food and cooking. The skill, ingenuity, and joy she displayed in the kitchen—which was informed from the experiences she had in her mother’s kitchen growing up—allowed her to conjure up inspired dishes ranging from unexpectedly delicious on-the-fly meals from whatever was in the fridge on a particular night, to deeply authentic and faithful Lithuanian fare, to intricate and masterfully executed high-end menus appropriate for the most special of occasions. She worked tirelessly in restaurants all her life, yet she still reveled in those moments where she could live out her creative passions in her own kitchen for her family and friends.

She eventually turned the page on her time in Chicago, seeking a new beginning with her partner Steve, settling in the warmth of Arizona. Even with that distance she kept a strong connection with family, visiting Chicago when possible, and welcoming her loving grandkids to her newfound desert sanctuary to build a bond that will last an eternity.

Terry was a special individual that embodied a uniquely insatiably sense of curiosity, a quick and contrarian wit, and an unequivocal zeal for culture, creativity, and knowledge. That energy and spirit are now obviously (and gloriously) present in the personalities of her three grandchildren. What a wonderful legacy to have left.

Flowers will be accepted, and donations can be sent to the charity of your choice in Terry’s name. Details will follow on her memorial.

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