Theresa Jane Lowry Nation Rinehart Gross was born April 25, 1945 to Virgene Marie Lawler Lowry and Paul James Lowry. Paul died in Germany serving in WW II. Theresa spent her first several years with her mother’s family on the Lawler family farm near Ogden Iowa. When Virgene remarried in 1949, they moved to Rippey, Iowa. Theresa was the oldest of 11 children and was a mother hen to her younger brothers and sisters. She was a hard worker on the farm, even driving the tractor for baling hay as a skinny teen. She attended Rippey Schools through 11th grade, when they consolidated with East Greene Community Schools, graduating in 1963. She attended nursing school at St. Anthony’s in Carroll, Iowa to become an LPN. Theresa married Bob Rinehart of Boone, and Mark, Jennifer, and Nicholas were born. They later divorced. Theresa remarried to Gregg Gross of Wisconsin, and spent her retirement years in Venice, Florida and at the lake in northern Wisconsin. She passed away December 30, 2020, her heart worn out after 75 years well used.
Theresa worked most of her adult life in the nursing field, appropriate for someone with her caring nature. Even though she was responsible from an early age, she never lost a childlike joy in life. She was gracious and warm, a ray of sunshine, with an infectious laugh. Chocolate or anything sweet made her even happier. She made fast friends wherever she went, whether she was there 5 minutes or 30 years. People from northern Wisconsin, through Iowa, and down to Florida had their lives brightened by knowing her. She was beautiful, with big blue eyes and thick black wavy hair. Theresa enjoyed eating out (not cooking), reading, shopping, gardening, and spending time at the lake. Most of all she was a warm and loving daughter, wife, sister, mother, grandmother and friend to many who will miss her to the end. She is together with Mom again which will make them both very happy.
She is survived by her husband Gregg, son Mark (Leah), their children Jake and Jordyn, daughter Jenny and her children Isaiah and Grayson, and son Nick (Carrie) and their child Lowry. She is also survived by her siblings Francis (Tracy) Nation, Liz Karber, Dan (Vicki) Nation, Patty (Paul) Mears, John (Jody) Nation, Hal (Terri) Nation, Chris (Audrey Staples) Nation, Catherine (Brad) Clark, Dorothy (Bob) Muir, and Cecelia (Bill) Hammel, many nieces and nephews, and other relatives.
No public services were held. The family plans a celebration of life, maybe several, at a later date. Kays-Ponger Uselton Funeral Home of Venice Florida provided care.
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