Obituary of Therese (Terry) Polak Keenan

STOW - Therese (Terry) Polak Keenan, age 85, passed away due to Covid complications on January 5, 2021. Terry was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on July 25, 1935; the youngest of six children. As a junior at Lowell High, she met her future husband Robert (Bob). After high school, she attended Lowell Technological Institute (U of MA) and received her Bachelors of Science in Chemistry and Math in 1957. After graduation, Bob and Terry were married on June 29, 1957 and started their family, raising six children. Terry also attended Framingham State College, specializing in Library Science, her favorite interest most of her life. The Keenan family finally settled in Stow, Ohio in 1973. Terry volunteered over 30 years at the Stow Public Library and Holy Family Church library and won multiple volunteering awards, including Volunteer of the Year in 2016. She was also involved in her children's schooling and taught PSR at Holy Family. Terry was an avid gardener and traveled extensively around the world after Bob retired. There are many fond memories with her children and grandchildren from the annual beach vacations in the Carolinas. She was a great cook and taught her children and grandchildren how to make pierogies and borscht, embracing her Polish heritage. She will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 63 years, Bob and by her children, Marianne Gezzar (Mike Hanson) of Tallmadge, OH; Robert (deceased); Jackie Keenan (Jim Zippert) of University Heights, OH; Paul (Lori) Keenan of Springfield, VA; Marty (Karen) Keenan of Munroe Falls, OH; and Kathy (Alan) Saggers of Midland, MI. She will lovingly be known as "Babcia" to 15 grandchildren; David Gezzar, Rachel (Curtis) Ungerecht, Joe (Bree) Gezzar, Becca Gezzar (Ryan Bell); Kaz, Olivia, Zak and Zoe Zippert; Natalie Keenan; Lindsey (Brian) Shank, Jake Bellinger, Jeff (Nicole) Keenan; Madeline, Aidan and Nolan Saggers; as well as seven great- grandchildren; Lily and Dylan Gezzar; Jackson Ungerecht; Killian and Alexis Gezzar; and Griffin and Harper Shank. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Terry was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Sophia (Wisnieski) Polak, sister Charlotte (Miner), and brothers Joe, Frank, Stan, and Walter. Mass of the Christian Burial Friday 10 AM at Holy Family Catholic Church, 3179 Kent Road, Stow, where friends may call from 9 AM until service time. Burial Stow Cemetery. Contributions in Terry's name may be made to Friends of the Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library, 3512 Darrow Road, Stow, OH 44224.