Serena Terziotti

Serena Terziotti, née Carra, passed away peacefully on Saturday September 24, 2022, at the age of 92, surrounded by her loving family. Serena was born in Suzzara, Italy, on June 7, 1930. During her early years she lived an idyllic life, spoiled by her two older brothers and parents. WWII brought great changes, with her brothers called into service and bombing threats a constant reality. With the end of the war, she was able to complete her studies in neighboring Mantova before leaving home to attend the University of Bologna, where she earned her first degree in Biology and met her life-long love. Serena and Luigi (Nena and Gigi, to their family and friends) were married in 1957 and began a family together in Mantova. They were loving parents to a son, Guido, and twin girls, Silvia and Lidia. Luigi’s job took the family from Mantova to London, then to Ohio, New Jersey, Alabama, and eventually Virginia. In each locale, Serena not only cared for the family but also gained skills and accomplishments that few women did during her time. Despite not knowing any English when she left Italy in her 30s, she was soon teaching in the British school system and correcting her children’s grammar. She was a life-long educator with a passion for helping others – teaching in Italy, England, Ohio, New Jersey, and Alabama. During her years in Alabama she started a literacy program to teach adults to read, earning a Citizen of the Year honor for her work. Serena and Luigi welcomed many people into their homes, including their beloved nephews Fabio and Filippo, so they could study and learn from their Zia Serena, the consummate teacher. Retirement saw them splitting their time between Northern Virginia, close to their grandchildren, and an apartment in Italy, where they could spend time with their Italian family and friends. Serena and Luigi enjoyed entertaining, and frequently hosted the many friends they made around the world. Serena was a fabulous chef and a talented seamstress, and a perfectionist in both realms. She inspired her children and many who visited to learn the Latin names of plants and birds, to identify the stars, and to appreciate the art of Italian cooking. After Luigi’s death in 2010, Serena lived comfortably in Alexandria with Lidia, pampered and loved in the way that she had done for others all her life. She will be deeply missed for her wisdom and generosity. Remember Serena when gazing at the stars, watching an unusual bird, admiring a ginkgo biloba, or hearing a moving baroque adagio -- all things she loved deeply. She is survived by her son Guido and wife Belen, daughter Lidia and husband Douglas Flint, daughter Silvia and husband Roger Ehrlich, and grandchildren Molly (Matthew), Luca (Vicky), Phillip, Jacob, Natalia, Elena, and Celina. Special thanks to her devoted and loving caregivers in her later years, Carolina, Janice, and Palma, and to Good Shepherd Catholic Church of Alexandria. Donations can be made to your local literacy council in lieu of flowers. A funeral service will be held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church of Alexandria, on Friday, October 7, 2022, at 12:00 pm. A reception will follow.