Theresa A. Monaco

Theresa A. Monaco of Stoneham, passed away on Sunday, April 2, 2017 at Life Care Center of Stoneham. She was 77 years of age.

Theresa confronted her long battle with kidney disease with optimistic determination and courage. She was a deeply spiritual person. She retained an informed interest in current affairs and a remarkable sense of humor in the face of adversity. Family was a very important part of Theresa's life. All gatherings and conversation was a happy point in her life.

Theresa attended Stoneham High School before entering Emmanuel College. She earned her BA in Studio Art in 1962 and BFA in Painting in 1965 at Emmanuel and her MFA in printmaking and drawing at Syracuse University. Emmanuel College remained the focus of her professional life first as a student and later as a faculty member, retiring as Professor Emeritus of Arts after thirty-seven years in 2004. Before returning to Emmanuel as a faculty member, she taught at several elementary and high schools including Bishop Fenwick in Peabody and Bishop Stang in North Dartmouth. At Emmanuel, her courses included printmaking, drawing, pottery, and photography.

In 1992, she received the Excellence in Teaching Award. Her students appreciated that she not only was very artistically skillful but had high expectations of them. As chair of the Emmanuel Art Department, she encouraged the use of technology in art courses and vigorously promoted programs to fulfill student needs. In addition to her departmental responsibilities, she worked collaboratively with faculty in other departments and held leadership roles in the Faculty Senate. Her work has been exhibited in the Boston Printmakers annual shows, Naga Gallery, Immig Gallery, and most recently at the DeCordova Museum.

In addition to her prints and drawings, two notable contributions are the "Stations of the Cross" in a chapel at Notre Dame du Lac in Worcester and the bronze doors to the chapel at the Notre Dame Convent in Ipswich which she designed with one of her teachers, Sr. Vincent de Paul. Professor Monaco was a Sister of Notre Dame for eighteen years, leaving the community shortly before Vatican II.

Professor Monaco served on the Executive Board of the Boston Printmakers for over twenty years and on the Board of Directors of the Indochina Arts Partnership for thirty years. She was a member of the Saturday Morning Club of Boston for twenty-four years. As a colleague stated, she was "a great woman, teacher, sister, daughter, and friend who dedicated her life to others."

Theresa was the loving daughter of the late Michael Monaco and Flora (Merenda) Monaco. She was the dear sister of Ann Mitchell and Maria Bettencourt and her husband David. Theresa was the caring aunt of Lisa Surabian and her husband George, Brian Mitchell and his wife Jackie, Kara Fuller and her husband Mark, Laura Norton and her husband Paul, Jeffrey Mitchell and his wife Stephanie and Dina Armstrong and her husband Michael. She was also lovingly survived by many great nieces and great nephews.

A Funeral Mass Celebrating Theresa's Eternal Life will be held on Saturday, April 8th at 10am in St. Patrick Church, 71 Central St. STONEHAM. Interment Oak Grove Cemetery, Medford.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in memory of Theresa to the National Kidney Foundation, www.kidney.org or to PKD Foundation, www.pkdcure.org.

For more information, www.facebook.com/BarileFamilyFuneralHome