The Catholic Foundation (CFM) of Michigan is honoring the life of faith and service by Mary Sue Terrasi, who passed away in May 2019.

Terrasi was a beautiful person filled with a genuine faith, her husband Bill Terrasi told the CFM for an article on it the group's website. Terrasi worked as a geriatric nurse and, upon her retirement, volunteered at an adult day care support center. 

Terrasi would bring Holy Communion to individuals at the nursing home and was a pro-life activist throughout her adult life, her husband said. Terrasi’s daughter, Becky Gartman, said that her mother supported a young pregnant woman who was uncertain about being able to provide for her unborn child. 

Mary Sue Terrasi | https://catholicfoundationmichigan.org/

“Over the years, Mom supported her with rides, visits, meals, diapers and unwavering encouragement,” Gartman told Catholic Foundation of Michigan. “These collective acts of giving, more than anything else, are how she honored new life.”

Terrasi’s husband was contacted by Brad Smith of Right to Life of Michigan, who recommended that he contact the CFM to start a fund in Terrasi’s name. While Bill Terrasi did not want to start another pro-life organization, he did decide to start a Donor Advised Fund (DAF), which is a flexible giving resource through which the Catholic Foundation distributes grants. 

The fund is being called lus Vitae — Mary Sue Terrasi Memorial Fund. 

“Remembering and honoring Mary in this way is painful in that it forces me to relive a lot of memories, but it is also inspiring and hopeful,” Bill Terrasi said. “By opening a fund with the foundation, we have a much greater opportunity to establish a lasting legacy for my bride, as opposed to doing it on my own.”

The CFM is pleased to be helping with the setting up of the fund, and Bill Terrasi said that the fees were reasonable enough to allow him to set it up with peace of mind.