Teresa Rowett

In 2009, Terri and her sister Kit were proud volunteer members of Bruce Springsteen’s Super Bowl halftime show crew in Tampa. They attended the mandatory rehearsals, then practiced and mastered the detailed maneuvers of constructing and disassembling the on-field set. As the hundreds of volunteers exited the football field after the show, Terri decided it wasn’t enough for her to be just a member of the stage crew; she was to be part of the show. So she did a somersault as she left the field of Raymond James Stadium.

“She was so proud of that,” Terri’s brother Ted remembers.

Teresa Anne Rowett was 57 when she died suddenly on Aug. 22, 2022 at Shore Point Health in Port Charlotte.

Born in Red Bank, N.J., Terri was raised in Rumson, N.J., and lived in Milwaukee, WI for a short time before moving to Florida. She attended the Rumson Country Day and Forestdale Schools, and graduated from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School in 1982. She earned an associate’s degree in Nursing from Brookdale Community College and was a private duty nurse in both New Jersey and Florida.

As the youngest of six children, TT, as she was known, fought for attention and her time in the spotlight. She got it, charming friends, neighbors, co-workers, and cousins with her giving spirit and loyalty throughout her life. (She convinced those who met her that the TT stood for Terrific Terri, not the Terrible Terri her siblings had used to tease her.)

As she traveled, explored, and embraced her worlds, Terri connected with people for a moment or a lifetime; once she made a connection, she cherished it. She loved horses, was an accomplished rider, loved skiing, the beach, her pets, drum circles, her VW Bugs, her Caesar salads, old movies and television.

But nothing made her happier or more proud than her children: Andrew and his wife Justine, Nichole, and Kristien. She loved them unconditionally and fiercely.

She discovered and embraced her other family – her roller derby family – here in Florida. When she became “Danger Girl,” she had found her people. She was accepted, embraced, and seen. She was appreciated, supported, and loved, for every quirk, talent, and light that lived in her.

She knew heartbreak and loss, and leaned on her enduring friendships to learn and live through difficult times. She also celebrated love, her successes, and the good fortunes of those she loved.

It is no coincidence that Andrew, Nichole, and Kristien have also developed and maintained lifelong friendships and love in their lives. Their mother knew the importance of that.

In addition to her children, Terri is survived by her mother, Eileen Rowett-Brons of Sarasota; her brother, Ted Rowett of Easton, Md.; two sisters, Victoria Rowett of Sarasota, and Chris Peter of Catonsville, Md.; her ex-husband, Alfredo Fernandez; and countless loved ones. She was predeceased by her father, Pete Rowett in 1977; her sister, Liz Rowett in 2010; and her sister, Kit White in 2017.

A service and celebration of life will be held Sunday, August 28 from 3 – 7 p.m. at Robert Toale and Sons Funeral Home at Palms Memorial Park, 170 Honore Ave. in Sarasota. Visitation will be held from 3 – 4:15, followed by a service and family memories from 4:20 – 5. Afterwards, loved ones are invited to join a gathering with music, more memories, and some of Terri’s favorite snacks.

She was a warrior for peace and our planet. Donations in her memory may be made to Save the Manatee at https://www.savethemanatee.org/ or Clean Ocean Action in New Jersey at https://cleanoceanaction.org/about-coa.