Dorothea DeTeresa

Dottie was born in Englewood, New Jersey, to Andrew Adam Brunner and Anna Cecilia McKenna Brunner on November 29, 1941. She went to school in Dumont, New Jersey.

Dottie worked as a supervisor for Bell Telephone Company for 45 years. In 2000, she married Joseph DeTeresa on April 15th at St. Coleman’s Catholic Church and became a loving, integral part of his family.

She loved to travel and once drove across country with a friend. She specially liked visiting historical venues and museums. She and her husband also loved to gamble, often taking trips to Biloxi, Miss., and local casinos to try their luck, which often turned out to be good.

Dottie was an avid reader. Clive Cussler, Michael Connelly and Heather Graham were among her favorite authors, though she was willing to read any author her friends or family recommended.

A devout Catholic, she was a regular attendee at St. Coleman’s, where she served as an usher for many years and was part of the Women’s Club, in which she knitted items for babies and small children.

Mostly, Dottie will be remembered as a kind, fun-loving person who accepted people as they were and never said a bad word about anyone. If there was a costume party, she was sure to wear one of the more outrageous outfits. She liked to joke and kid with people, including her neighbors, who adored her. Once she hid in a large, plastic garbage bag, playing peekaboo with her neighbors.

Dottie is preceded in death by her brother Andrew J. Brunner, sister-in-law Helen Marie Brunner, brother Martin Brunner and sister-in-law Joyce Brunner, and her husband, Joseph DeTeresa.

Dottie is survived by a niece, Patricia Brunner, a cousin, Margie Kirkam, Joseph’s three children, Debbie Lanier and husband, John, Walter DeTeresa and wife, Vivi, and Nancy Winburn and husband, Marty; seven grandchildren, JJ Lanier and wife, Jenny, Daniel Lanier and wife, Kelli, Justin Lanier, Tim Winburn and wife, Julie, Nikki Madgey and husband, Justin, Sebastian DeTeresa and spouse, Cristina, and Sandy DeTeresa; and 10 great-grandchildren, Caroline, Ian, TJ, Ellie, Jaxson, Cooper, Emma, Grayson, Norah and Rayne, all of whom knew her as “Gigi.”

A funeral Mass for Dottie will be held Monday, December 6, 2021, from 12:30 to 1:30 at Kraeer Funeral Home, 200 West Copans Road in Pompano Beach. Burial will immediately follow. Visitation will be held prior to the Mass from 11:30 to 12:30.

Instead of flowers, donations should be made to St Jude, Veterans of Foreign Wars, or a worthy organization of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared below for the DeTeresa family.