Theresa M. (Aufiero) Kater

Theresa M. (Aufiero) Kater, 89, of Methuen, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 31st, 2020, at the Mary Immaculate Nursing Home, with her family by her side.

Terry was the daughter of the late Paolino and Adeline Aufiero. She was born on August 5, 1930 in Avellino, Italy and moved to Lawrence at a very young age where she was raised and educated in Lawrence Public Schools. With Italian speaking parents, as a child, Terry learned English as a second language. As an adult, Terry worked in several factories in Lawrence, where she met and made most of her long-time friends. She retired from the Gillette Company in 1993 and spent the next several years being a devoted Nana.

Terry loved nothing more than playing cards, playing BINGO or taking trips to Foxwoods. She spent many Friday nights playing poker with her friends and later in life playing 45’s with her friends at the Berkeley Retirement Home. For more than 20 years every Saturday night Terry drove her sister Grace to BINGO at the St. Mary’s Rectory. She never considered herself lucky, but never missed an opportunity to take a bus trip to Foxwoods to play the slot machines. Terry also loved to watch TV games shows and was an avid Red Sox fan.

Spending time with her family is what was most important to Terry, especially time she spent with her beloved dogs, Brady and Remy.

Terry will be deeply missed by her daughter, Sharon (Kater) Zacharias and her husband Richard; granddaughters, Christine (Zacharias) Clinton and her husband Patrick, and Courtney Zacharias. She is also survived by her brother-in-law Francis (Sonny) Medina; her sister-in-law Carole Aufiero; several nieces and great nieces. Terry is predeceased by her sister Grace Medina and her brother Richard Aufiero. 

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, February 13th, 2020 from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM followed by a service in the funeral home chapel at the Dewhirst & Boles Funeral Home, 80 Broadway, Methuen, MA 01844. Relatives and friends are invited to a graveside service at 1:00 PM on Friday, February 14th at St. Mary Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Lawrence. Terry’s granddaughter Christine will be running the Boston Marathon in April to support the Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center for Trauma Innovation. Memorial contributions may be made on her behalf to https://charity.gofundme.com/o/en/campaign/steppingstrongboston2020/christinezacharias

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