Theresa Marie Magelli was born on July 24, 1938, in Mount Clare, Illinois. Raised in a lively, large household, Theresa grew up with a deep appreciation for her family’s heritage and a curiosity about the wider world. Her parents, Biagio and Mary (Mareta) Magelli, were Italian immigrants who settled in Southern Illinois, where her father worked hard as a coal miner.
Education & Career
Driven by a love of reading and a sharp intellect, Theresa earned a scholarship to attend Blackburn College in Carlinville, Illinois. She graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Mathematics.
Her degree launched a diverse and dynamic professional career:
- Technology: She worked as an early Fortran computer programmer for the U.S. Air Force.Iles Funeral Home
- Education: She shared her love for numbers as a junior high school mathematics teacher and dedicated her time to the community as a member of the Logan School Board in Princeton, Illinois.Iles Funeral Home
- Writing: Later in life, she worked as a Technical Writer for Pioneer Hi-Bred.Iles Funeral Home
Family Life, Postings, and Travel
In 1961, Theresa married her husband of 59 years, Harold “Harry” Swanson. Just three weeks after their wedding, Harold enlisted, initiating a grand journey that would see the couple relocate an astonishing 18 times throughout his service and subsequent corporate career.
While a highly definitive list of all 18 specific base names and dates is not fully detailed in public archives, their major moves included:
- San Antonio, Texas (1961): Their very first posting, immediately following Harold’s enlistment.Iles Funeral Home
- Illinois (Princeton / Buda area): Where they spent significant years raising their family and Theresa taught school and served on the local board.Iles Funeral Home
- Shanghai, China (1995–1998): They relocated to the People’s Republic of China for three years while Harold sold heavy earth-moving equipment. Never one to sit idly by, Theresa fully immersed herself in the expatriate community, editing the Expat Association Newsletter and traveling extensively across China and wider Asia.Iles Funeral Home
Together, they raised four children: Kathy, Amy, John, and their daughter Anna.
Preserving Heritage & Community Leadership
Theresa was deeply proud of her Italian roots. She was instrumental in compiling and creating a Magelli family cookbook, ensuring that the traditional Italian recipes passed down from her parents’ native village of Castel di Casio, Italy, would be preserved for future generations. In 1984, she and Harold made a meaningful heritage trip to Castel di Casio to personally connect with their extended Italian relatives.
When they eventually retired to Des Moines, Iowa, Theresa poured her immense energy into two major passions:
- Competitive Bridge: An exceptionally accomplished card player, she earned a remarkable 800 ACBL Master Points at the Des Moines Bridge Center.Iles Funeral Home
- The FreeStore: Theresa and Harold spent 19 years volunteering for The FreeStore in Iowa, a vital non-profit organization that provides household furnishings to women and children fleeing domestic violence. Theresa served as the Board Chairman. Knowing firsthand how stressful moving could be, she even partnered with local restaurants to ensure that families had warm, packaged meals waiting for them on “moving day.”
Legacy of Honor
Theresa’s profound empathy left a massive footprint. In 2018, she was honored with the Service to Humanity Awardfrom her alma mater, Blackburn College, and was named the Iowa Volunteer of the Year alongside her husband. Even during her final year in 2020 while facing declining health amidst the global pandemic, she hand-made and donated over 800 protective masks for the Navajo Nation and the Rosebud Reservation.
Theresa passed away peacefully on December 26, 2020, leaving behind a beautiful legacy of generosity, intellect, and profound dedication to family.
