Teresa Janette Meier

She was born in Murray, Kentucky on March 22, 1957. She was the eldest of four children born to J.D. Burdin and Joyce Bradley Burdin.

Teresa came to a saving faith in Jesus at a young age, after grappling with the meaning of the profound sacrifice Jesus made when He was crucified on the cross to pay for the sins of the world.

On July 31, 1976, Teresa married the love of her life, David Eugene Meier, and remained his loyal helpmate for 43 years 2 months and 15 days until death parted them, when her devoted husband preceded her in death and passed into eternal life in 2019. Throughout their marriage, God used both of them to grow each other into His purpose for their lives. Their union was blessed by countless answered prayers, the most visible being their five children that the Lord entrusted to them to raise according to their convictions for His glory, and the more than 27 grandchildren that followed, including one great-grandchild whom she never met.

Perhaps one of Teresa’s greatest contributions to her descendants and her beloved Texas was following those convictions by blazing a trail with other like-minded homeschooling parents in the 1980s. A popular educational freedom today, the concept of one or both parents educating their children at home was legally precarious at this time, when she and her husband stepped out in faith and began to provide their children with an excellent Christian education at home. She resisted government overreach, once even shutting and locking her door (politely but firmly, of course) in the face of a misinformed truant officer. The fundamental God-given right for a parent to educate their own children in their home is recognized in Texas in no small part thanks to her and the many others who fought for the right to live by their convictions and faith regarding how their own children are taught.

Teresa proudly claimed as her primary vocation that job for which, as C.S. Lewis famously wrote, all others exist: a homemaker. Her beautiful home - adorned with scripture, portraits of her family, decorative plates, full bookcases and antique furniture - was a ministry to her family and friends. Despite having a masters degree in education and experience in teaching and running small businesses, as well as at one time being a licensed real estate agent, she would seldom refer to herself as anything but what she considered her highest callings: a wife, a mother, a grandmother (Oma); a homemaker. One of her greatest joys was creating dazzling table settings to bless her family and friends at holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving. Her guestbook, filled with joyful notes and expressions of gratitude from all who visited, is a testament to the ministry of hospitality her Christian home was to anyone fortunate enough to cross her threshold.

She was known and loved for these and her many other gifts which the Lord gave her. The gifts of discernment, encouragement, wisdom, hospitality, intercession, teaching, faith, mercy and service were abundantly manifested in her life and she eagerly strengthened others with these gifts until her last breath.

A lifelong prayer warrior, the final years of her life were marked by her praying without ceasing, punctuating her oft-silent prayers with an audible “In Jesus name, Amen” - usually softly, sometimes a little louder. She often prayed out loud for her children she would one day leave behind, and for the rest of her lineage she would never meet in this world. She prayed for God’s mercy to be shown to her friends. She prayed for her bungling and defeated enemies, lest the lions of justice be loosed on them after her passing. She prayed for God’s strength and help as she became complete in Christ through sharing His suffering and comfort. She lived by her favorite saying, “the least you can do, and the most you can do, is pray.” In this regard, age never weakened her, and she finished the race the Lord gave her even stronger than she began.

Her last words were, in no particular order: “I love you too”, “Yes Honey, I’d love some”, and “In Jesus name, Amen.”

Teresa is survived by her three siblings: Michael Burdin, Cynthia Pastwa, and Brad Burdin; her five children: Joshua David Meier, Elijah Shane Meier, Lucas Zachary Meier, Adam Michael Meier, and Charity Grace King - and the ever-growing number of their children and grandchildren.

A visitation will be held from 6pm to 8pm on Thursday, June 13, 2024 at Sunset North Funeral Home, 910 N Loop 1604, San Antonio, TX 78232. Funeral service will take place at 11am on Friday, June 14, 2024 at Rebecca Creek Baptist Church, 11755 US Hwy 281, Spring Branch, TX 78070. Burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, 17501 Nacogdoches Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266.