Teresa Louise Mannix passed away peacefully June 12th, 2021 in Littleton, CO at the age of 89. She was surrounded by loving family members and will be greatly missed by all whose lives she touched. Teresa was born, raised and lived most of her life in her beloved Oklahoma City. She moved to Colorado in 2014 to be near her daughter and her family. Teresa was a lifelong parishioner of St. Francis Catholic Church, attended Rosary School and graduated from St. Joseph High School before attending the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, KS where she earned a BS degree in Chemistry. Upon returning to OKC she began a long career as a Medical Technologist and met and married Robert A. Mannix on May 3rd,1958. Together they raised 6 children and celebrated 40+ years of marriage.
Her death, much like her life, was at a measured pace. It took the time it took, and she was not to be rushed. She brought stability and integrity to our home. She taught us many things including the value of forgiveness, patience by example, faith in prayer, grace under fire, ingenuity out of necessity, and that “the most valuable thing you have is your time, so be careful how you use it.”
We will forever remember the many campouts, fishing, boating, waterskiing, and mom packing that enormous wooden camp box that dad and a friend constructed for our week-long vacations camping at the lake. In our house, you would not have been surprised to find our mother up on a ladder fixing something. Our mother was a doer. She had a keen mind and was a DIY-er long before it was fashionable.
Mom had many hobbies: She loved to sew and made Dad his one and only “leisure suit”; she made many a prom dress and bridesmaid’s dress. She enjoyed crocheting and made us all afghans. She was an avid gardener, bicycle rider, square dancer, animal lover and health nut…she read Prevention magazine and was always current on latest health trends and supplements, however she never gave up her love of ice-cream.
Our mother had a well-defined sense of humor, which served her well and that she used to her advantage sharing many a laugh with our dad at the kitchen table. They really GOT each other!
Mom inherited her father’s sense of integrity and his unique ability to remain silent when it could be used to better effect than harsh words ever could. And although she could exude a steely indifference at times, people in general just LOVED her.
She was cash-register honest, but not above cheating at solitaire. She neither gave compliments away freely, nor suffered fools very well, but she was fiercely protective of her family, readily available to assist a neighbor in need, and believed that charity always began at home.
We are far better people for having had the privilege of her as our mother and for gracing our lives in countless ways.
She is preceded in death by her parents, James P. O’Rourke and Mary Josephine O’Rourke; husband, Robert A. Mannix; daughter, Margaret Jo (Maggie) Mannix; and siblings, Margaret Ann Germann and Paul J. O’Rourke. She is survived by her sister, Sr. Mary O'Rourke, Leavenworth, KS and children: Patrick Mannix OKC, OK, Michael Mannix (Karen Mannix) OKC, OK, Timothy Mannix Fresno, CA, Katie Rains (Dave Rains) Mission Viejo, CA, and Teresa Sapyta (Chris Sapyta) Greenwood Village, CO;14 grandchildren (eldest to youngest) Joshua Post, Megan Johnson Joly, Ryan Johnson, Emily Roberts, Madeline Sapyta, Seaira Mannix Soriano, Mark Sapyta, Andrew Rains, Madeline Bentley, Angela Mannix, Elizabeth Rains, Maggie Sapyta, Matthew Mannix, Samuel Rains and 11 great-grand children with one on the way.
Visitation 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm, followed by a Rosary, 5:00 pm Sunday, June 27th at Hahn-Cook/ Street & Draper Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be 10:00 am Monday, June 28th at The Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help; and will be laid to rest at Resurrection Cemetery.
