Her parents, Mary (Schirano) and Philip DeMilta, welcomed their daughter into the world on August 9, 1930, in Queens, New York City, New York. She was a graduate of Newtown High School in Elmhurst, NY.
Following graduation, Theresa worked as a secretary for the New York City Board of Transportation for two years. She then worked with Magee Carpet Company on 5th Avenue in NYC.
She married Michael "Mickey" Acerno on June 16, 1951 at St. Bartholomew’s Church in Elmhurst. The couple moved to Swampscott, MA in 1960, later moving to Canaan, NH in 1970 where they resided for ten years.
After their youngest of nine children entered school, Theresa worked as a kindergarten aide at the Canaan School and then as secretary to the assistant principal at Mascoma High School. In 1980, she and Mickey moved to Westmoreland, NH where she was hired as the secretary in the guidance office at Keene High School, working there until 1985. She then worked as the secretary at the Westmoreland School until she retired in 1998. Theresa more than enjoyed every child that entered the school each day, and to her, they were part of her extended family.
Theresa served as president of the PTA at St. John’s Catholic School in Swampscott where her children attended school. Before moving to Westmoreland, she served on the Canaan School Board. She was active in Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and 4-H; served on the Keene Senior Citizens Board of Directors; the Parish Council at St. Margaret Mary Church in Keene; and was a member of St. Anne Sodality, the Outreach Team, Bereavement Team, and a Eucharistic Minister at Lady of the Lake Church in Chesterfield, St. Margaret Mary Church and St. Bernard Church, both in Keene. Theresa made a trip to Cheshire Medical Center once a week to serve communion to the sick.
She was a member of the Cheshire County Retired Educators Association; had a Relay for Life Team for many years; was a Selectperson for Ward 4 in Keene; and a volunteer at the Cheshire Medical Center, which she looked forward to each week for many years.
She was proud of her license plate "MOM 9"! She and Mickey received the Keene State College LaVine Mellon Parents Award in 1989. She had a full loving life with Mickey, who was the love of her life since she was 17 years old. Her happiest moments were spending time with her family, especially when they were all gathered together. Her many grandchildren made her life complete.
She enjoyed reading and knitting; watching her children and grandchildren participating in sports; and also the Keene State College field hockey and lacrosse games; Keene High School sports; and cheering on the UNH hockey team. As a child, the NY Giants baseball team was her favorite baseball team and continued even when she left NY. Her favorite football team was, of course, the New York Giants!
Theresa will be greatly missed by many in the community, especially her nine children, Mary Pat Acerno of Litchfield, NH, Michael Acerno and Beth Hoyt-Flewelling of Sutton, NH, Timothy and Karen Acerno of Raymond, NH, Eileen and Ken Lary, of Canaan, NH, Peg and Rod Richmond, of Swanzey, NH, Teresa Starkey and Chuck Mobilia, of Keene NH, Ann Marie and David DiSilva, of West Chesterfield, NH, Elizabeth and Jake Cahoon, of Keene NH, Virginia and Graham Gitchell, of Westmoreland, NH, all who were very special to she and Mickey. Her fifteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren were she and Mickey’s legacy. Sadly, Mickey predeceased Theresa in 1994 after 43 wonderful years together.
A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Bernard Church, 185 Main Street, Keene, on Saturday, November 27, 2021 at 10:00am. Burial will follow at the Village Cemetery, Glebe Road, Westmoreland. Family and friends are invited to call on Friday evening from 5:00 to 7:00pm at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene. All those in attendance are required to wear facemasks and to maintain the physical distancing protocols.
In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made in Theresa’s memory to Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services for the Friendly Bus Program, PO Box 564, Keene, NH 03431-0564; or to the Genesis Foundation for Children, 60 Temple Place 2nd Floor, Boston, MA 02111; or the Make-a-Wish Foundation, 814 Elm Street #300, Manchester, NH 03101
