Theresa J. (Breen) Bolduc, 75, died unexpectedly on Saturday, July 4th at UMass-Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.

She is survived by Bertrand G. Bolduc, her beloved husband of 53 years, and her children Christopher G. Bolduc and his wife Catharine M. Bolduc of Auburn, Mary Beth B. Heffernan of Los Angeles, Julie A. Ingersoll and her fiancé David W. Nason of Shrewsbury, Philip J. Bolduc and his wife Jennifer A. Reidy of Worcester, and Ellen T. Jankowski of Portland, ME. Theresa also leaves her sisters, Mary A. Duffy and Ruth A. McDermott, and eight grandchildren. Her brother Joseph M. Breen died in 2012.

Theresa was born in Worcester, the daughter of Ruth C. (Clement) Breen and Joseph M. Breen. She attended Commerce High School and Worcester State Teacher’s College, where she earned a BA in Education and a Masters of Education with a Concentration in Library Science.

She began her career as a kindergarten teacher before devoting herself full time to raising her five children. She later returned to the classroom and for 20 years taught English at the Worcester Adult Learning Center. Her patience, compassion, and excellence of craft endeared Theresa to her students just as she loved meeting and serving people from all over the world.

Three pillars solidly grounded Theresa: her Catholic faith, her family, and a rich community of lifelong friends. She bound these together with her greatest strength, building and nurturing relationships. Her humble, gracious manner, and her unfailing attention to others’ needs, sprang from her generous, loving spirit and faith. She was a wonderful listener, with a genuine interest in people’s joys and struggles, and treated all with kindness and respect. She was adventurous, curious, playful, hard-working and faithful, but what we will remember most of all about Theresa is her love.

Calling hours will be Tuesday July 7th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Athy Memorial Home, 111 Lancaster St., Worcester. The funeral Mass will be Wednesday July 8th at 10:00 a.m. at Christ the King Church, 1052 Pleasant St., Worcester. Burial will follow in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to two organizations of her heart, Visitation House and St. John’s High School.