Theresa Acunzo

Theresa (Terry) Acunzo, 64, passed away peacefully on October 26, 2023 at Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. Known for her generous smile and enduring optimism, she brightened the world for more people than she knew.

Born to Frances Viggiano Acunzo and Mario Acunzo on June 22, 1959, Terry was a lifelong resident of her beloved family home in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. She attended St. Ephrem Grammar School and Fort Hamilton High School, and earned a B.S. in accounting from Hunter College.

Terry had a successful career in small business management and accounting across several industries, from property management to publishing. She thrived as part of a team and was deeply invested in the lives of her friends and colleagues.

Throughout her life, Terry was unwavering in her devotion to family. She maintained a beautiful and unique partnership with her mother and true friendships with relatives across multiple generations. Her legendary summer vacations with nieces spanned several decades, and she never aged out of her uncanny aptitude for choosing the best toys and games for the children in her life — or for playing with them.

She loved travel, the holidays, good food, cooking, and spending time with her family. Other favorite pastimes included watching television, listening to light FM, keeping up with friends and family on social media, doing word puzzles, and playing games on her phone and tablet.

In her later years, Terry was no stranger to health challenges. She navigated complex circumstances with grace, both for herself and in support of those around her. After a major surgery, she earned the nickname “Mayor of Rehab” for helping so many other patients through their own difficult moments with her strong advocacy and good nature.

Left behind to cherish Terry’s memory are her sister Ann Gratzer and sister-in-law Nina Acunzo; nieces Carolyn Gratzer Cope, Allison Mansour, and Lily Acunzo and their husbands Jonathan Cope, Christopher Mansour, and Alex Violette; and her nine beloved grandnieces and grandnephews: Adelaide and Celia Cope, Olivia and Daphne Mansour, and Nicoletta, Rosa, Archangelo, Anastasia, and Olindo Violette. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her brother Mario Acunzo and brother-in-law Frank Gratzer.

Terry was a warm, generous, and loving person. She inspired a lot of people with her strength and courage, and her sense of humor served her well even in her final days. Her family, friends, and everyone who loved her will feel her absence deeply.