- Date Of Death: May 3, 2021
- State: Illinois
Terry Czernik, 74, passed away peacefully in Park Ridge on Monday, May 3, after a long courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Terry was born Theresa Mary LaGrange on December 29, 1946 in Davenport, IA, the first of seven children of Glen A. and Cornelia LaGrange. Shortly after her birth, the LaGrange family moved to Ohio, where Terry grew up in Cincinnati and Norwood, attending Sts. Peter and Paul elementary school and Regina High School. After graduating from the College of Mount St. Joseph in 1968, Terry moved to Chicago where she began her lifelong teaching career at Providence of God School in Pilsen. She later began working for the Chicago Public Schools as a “Cadre Substitute” teacher, a job that she held for many years and which took her all over the city of Chicago, teaching in the most underserved communities in the city. It was in Chicago that Terry settled down with a Chicagoan she had met in Cincinnati, Lester Czernik, who she married and with whom she had a son, Glen. The Czernik family lived in Logan Square and Lester and Terry were married for 23 years until his death in 1996. Terry spent the remainder of her career as a 1st and 2nd grade teacher at Brentano School until her retirement in 2006. In addition to joyfully teaching thousands of children how to read, spell, add, subtract, tell time, and write with perfect penmanship, Terry relished being an active member of the Chicago Teachers Union, serving many years as a Union delegate, participating in caucuses, and also running for elected Union leadership positions.
Preceded in death by parents Glen and Cornelia LaGrange, brother Rob LaGrange, husband Lester Czernik. Survived by son Glen (Jackie) Czernik, sisters Patty (Tim) Burke, Bonnie (Tom) Wall, Mary (Pat) Behan, Lori (Mike) Smith, brother John (Helen) LaGrange, and many nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces.
Ask how you are feeling. Screen temperature. Anyone whose temperature is 99.
Offer hand sanitizer
Direct them to the designated pew. (Ask them to stay in that spot until they are ready to leave)
