Theresa Eileen Hunt Gruver, 62, passed away on May 23rd, 2023. She was born in Hampton, Virginia on March 8, 1961 to parents Carroll C. Hunt and Catherine Alma Hunt (née Roach). As the youngest sibling, she spent her childhood in Phoebus and Hampton, VA along with her 4 brothers and 2 sisters. She graduated from Phoebus High School in 1980, and then graduated from the Elizabeth Brant School in Staunton, Virginia with an Associate degree in Business and Travel Tourism. She was focusing on a position as an airline stewardess.
Theresa called herself a “tomboy” growing up because she could outrun most of her friends and, let’s face it, when you have 4 older brothers you have to compete. She was on the cheerleading squad throughout her 2 years in Junior High School. She won the Miss Phoebus Pageant in 1977 held at the Chamberlin Hotel on Fort Monroe, Virginia and was recognized in a parade the next day in downtown Phoebus. She was also awarded Miss Congeniality of the pageant. Her two older sisters, already married, had 3 little ones and Theresa took to them right away. Her name for her eventual 16 nieces and nephews was Aunt “TT”. She loved all of them very much.
When she was 16 years of age, she met and fell in love with her husband, Richard Allen Gruver. As High School “Sweethearts” they were inseparable. They always took drives in the Virginia countryside and to friends and family gatherings in her sweetheart’s 1969 Mustang convertible. They were a fun-loving couple, often going snow skiing and to beaches with their friends. They were married June 12th, 1982 in Austin, Texas at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church and were blessed with their two children, daughter Amanda in 1987 and son Blake in 1990. Theresa often spoke of how much she cherished being a mother and was delighted in recent years by the births of each of her six grandchildren: Nora, Lukas (Luke), Eliana (Ellie), Catherine (Kitty), Leila (Isla), Leonardo (Leo) and was so looking forward to the birth of her 3rd Grandson in September 2023.
Theresa worked in the banking industry, in both Austin and Georgetown, Texas and Charlotte, North Carolina. She held positions in her career from Administrative Assistant in New Accounts, Commercial Lending and Personal Lending, and then to Assistant Branch Sales Manager. She also was a supportive wife by Richard’s side as he worked toward his college degree and his career. She enjoyed volunteering with the Annunciation Maternity Home (Georgetown), nursing homes, and in the Georgetown Public Schools, as she loved being with her children and their friends.
After moving from Austin to Georgetown, Texas to raise their children, Theresa started attending mass at St. Helens Catholic Church.
With the loss of both parents before she was 21, she counted on her siblings until becoming engaged to Richard in December 1981. She loved Richard’s parents and family as her own and brought so much love and happiness to her entire family as well as everyone she worked or came into contact with. She loved getting together with family for the holidays, often hosting Thanksgiving and Gruver family pizza parties, and spending as much time as possible with her children and grandchildren. Because of her love of travel, she enjoyed camping, vacationing in Destin, Florida and Fun Valley, Colorado with her husband, kids, and extended family, traveling across Europe with her husband, as well as regular trips with a group of long-time High School girlfriends. She was an avid Longhorn fan, and loved getting together to watch Longhorn games or traveling to Iowa for Hawkeye games with her Gruver parents, Neill and Donna.
Theresa was preceded in death by her mother, Catherine Alma Hunt; father, Carroll C. Hunt; mother-in-law, Donna Mae Gruver; brother, Michael A. Hunt; and sister-in-law, Cynthia Gruver Leonard.
She will be missed dearly by her husband of over 40 years, Richard Gruver of Georgetown, Texas; her daughter & son-in-law, Amanda & Nick (Nora, Luke, Kitty, and Isla) Dreps of Austin, Texas; her son & daughter-in-law, Blake & Sayuri (Ellie, Leo, and grandson #3) Gruver of Colorado Springs, Colorado; her father-in-law, Neill Gruver and his wife, Margo Gruver; her brothers & sisters, Carroll (Shirley) Hunt, Robert (Peggy) Hunt, James Hunt, Linda (Mike) Holland and, Cecilia (Jerry) Huffman; sister-in-law Linda Hunt; brothers-in-law, Dan (Lisa) Gruver, and Harry Biller; as well her grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many friends.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, May 30th at Weed Corley Fish Funeral Home in Austin, Texas from 3-5pm and Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, May 31st at Northwest Hills United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas at 10 am with burial to follow.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Theresa Gruver may be made to National Alliance on Mental Illness. www.nami.org
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