Marie Terese Hochstenbach

Marie Terese Hochstenbach (née DeSylva) affectionately known as Chip, Mom, Mémé, Mémère or simply Thery, was born on December 13th, 1942 in Bathurst, New Brunswick and passed away peacefully surrounded by family June 20th, 2024, in London, Ontario. Thery grew up in New Brunswick first wanting to become a Catholic nun, until she left the nunnery in order to help raise her younger brothers. Still with a desire to serve, she entered the nursing program in Campbellton, New Brunswick where she graduated as a Registered Nursing Assistant. After graduation, she chose to leave the East Coast and take up her career at Victoria Hospital alongside her best friend Valerie DeLong. On a blind double date with Valerie and her boyfriend Floyd Den Hollander, Thery would meet her future husband, Joseph Hochstenbach. After winning her heart, they were married a few short months later on November 28th, 1964. They had their first child, Laurie Ann in 1966 and their second daughter, Susan in 1968. Their son, Jason would follow a few years later in 1974.

Thery and Joe raised their family in Thamesford, Ontario where Thery was an active member of the community, church and the kids’ school. She served as a member of the Catholic Woman’s League, Sunday school teacher, President of the PTA (alongside her husband Joe) and Marriage Encounter Facilitator. Thery was blessed with a green thumb and could pickle, can or preserve just about anything that grew out of the earth. Convincing the children to pick, hull or chop their way into earning the 25 cents necessary to go swimming at the local pool during the summer. Always worth it, when it came time to eating the fresh rhubarb pie, having morning toast with red or black current jam or biting into a sour dill pickle. When not in the kitchen, Thery could be found sewing children’s Halloween costumes, painting ceramic Royal Doulton figurines, doing yoga or fashioning macramé plant hangers.

Thery and Joe always opened their home to Thery’s family. They provided a warm and caring environment for her siblings Paul, Denis, John, Ann and also her father at one time or another during their marriage. After the family’s move back into London, Thery took on a job at Peoples Jewelers where she became a top diamond sales consultant for Canada. This fueled her passion for jewelry and the collecting and restoration of antique jewelry and figurines.

In later years, Thery and Joe would move several times but always within easy travelling distance of their children and grandchildren. As Thery slowed down, crafting turned to reading and soap operas, shopping became finding a great bargain and play time meant spending quality time with the grandkids or one of their beloved dogs.

Thery is survived by her loving husband Joseph and her three children Laurie (John), Susan (Mark) and Jason (Tanya). She was also a loving grandparent to Chelsea, Joshua (Erika), Christian, Zachary, Icis, Luke, Roxanne, Arlo, Kingsley and Heartley. 

Thery’s celebration of life will be held on Monday July 22,2024 at Sacred Heart Parish in Ingersoll, Ontario at 11:00 am with a light luncheon to follow. 

Our hearts are truly broken, but in the famous words of Winnie the Pooh…

 “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard”.