Stories & Memories

Do you have a memory of Aggie to share with her family and friends? Let us know below.

One of my kind friends reminded me of this today. In 2015 I was invited to speak at the City Club of Cleveland. The club is the Cleveland establishment’s big venue downtown. They invited me to speak as the CEO of the Nature Conservancy. They were well aware that I had grown up in Cleveland, been a paper boy etc. And they very nicely invited Mom to attend and they seated her at the big important table right in the front of the room with the club officers.

I was the after lunch speaker. I did my usual speech — all about nature and how to protect the environment.

In the question and answer session that followed, there were a lot of questions about personal stuff — where did you grow up? How did you get from St Jeromes to Japan and Wall Street and the Nature Conservancy.?

Finally, one very nice person said something like this “It seems like you have accomplished a lot on your life. What do you attribute your success to?”

I had never been asked this question. I was thinking about how to reply. I looked down and there was Mom looking up at me. I immediately teared up, became emotional and said “Of course I owe everything to my dear parents. My dear mother is here right now — she taught me so much about how to live, how to try to be a good person.”

I could barely get these words out — I was too emotional. It didn’t matter. The entire room stood up and applauded mom. (It even tears me up now to remember the event). Mom was happy. The speech was over. Many many people went over to say hello to mom and wish her well. It’s a great memory. I was very fortunate to be able to recognize mom for all that she did for all of us.

God bless mom. May she rest in peace.

–Mark Tercek

One of my favorite things about my mother is that she did not always act like the textbook mother. She was very pragmatic. Mom felt free to interpret the rules and sometimes she opted to set her own rules. I think she got that from her parents who were similarly adaptable.

Here's an example. When I just barely a teenager (I imagine i was about 14 years old around 1974 or 1975), a rock band that I liked was on tour. The band was set to appear at the Cleveland Agora. I was way too young to get into that venue, but that's where Mom improvised. At the dinner table she looked at one of my brothers and said, "TommyMarkCharlieJohnny, I mean Mark, no Tom, one of you give Robby your ID. One of you has a spare ID. Give it to Robby so he can get into the show."

Epic mom moment, right?

Another example, one of my favorite Mom moments, occurred was when I was 13. At this point I was the last of the kids who was still living at home. My other siblings had already moved on to boarding school or college. I still had a paper route and would typically deliver the papers around 5.30 AM and then jump back into bed for an hour or two of sleep.

One morning I delivered the papers during a heavy snowfall. When I got back home, took my boots and coat off at the door and crawled back into bed. An hour later, my mom was there at my bedside, gently waking me up. "Robby, wake up, " mom said. "I called the school and told them you were sick today. Let's get dressed for skiing."

I jumped out of bed and got my ski gear on. Mom drove with me riding shotgun about three hours East through a blizzard so that we could get to PeekNPeak in Western New York state, where the fresh snowfall turned that modest slope into a wonderland. We skied all day long, for about five hours, stopping only for lunch and hot chocolate.

This wasn't the only time she encouraged me to cut school to go skiing. She knew that I would make up the lessons and still be fine in school.

These little clandestine trips really influenced me. To this day, I love to ski. Whenever I manage to get to the slopes, I always feel like I am sneaking out of school or some other obligation, and that adds to the fun.

Thanks, Mom, for showing me that I can bend the rules sometimes if I am prepared to deal with the consequences.

–Rob Tercek

While I have memories like holidays and trips with Grandma, going to Grandparents & Special Friends Day in elementary school with Grandma, and visiting her with the cross country team on a road trip in college, my most fond memories were spending time with Grandma in Hudson at home and simply chatting, playing board games and reading, and oftentimes enjoying one of her delicious soups. I’ll miss her greatly and cherish all the memories I have with her.

–Katherine T

Giving us rides in the VW minibus what a nice lady down the street

–Sean McGarry

To the entire Tercek family, my deepest sympathies and condolences on the passing of Mrs. Tercek... We have had so many Great many memories of the neighborhood and St. Jerome. your mom and dad belonged to a Great era of the neighborhood and St. Jerome. your folks and the rest of the group made the neighboord and St. Jerome what it is and the Great memories... My Prayers and thoughts are with all of you . Rest In Peace Mrs. Tercek. Mark Dieterich ( son of Bob and Zora Dieterich)

–Mark Dieterich

Over many years, on countless occasions, Rob and I (and usually a few others) would leave St. Jerome's for our 1 hour lunch period to walk home for lunch....only to find Mrs. Tercek waiting in the "Tercek Volkswagen Bus" on McCauley Avenue next to the Commodore Theatre. Mrs. Tercek graciously welcomed all passengers and delivered each of us to our homes. Mrs. Tercek was always happy, joyful, a supercool Mom, and fun to be around. She will be missed by all! God Bless!

–Richard Vadnal Jr.

Thank you so much for letting me know about your Mom.

I am still saying my morning prayers and not long ago I said my prayer to St. Joseph for your mom and me that we may die with the arms of Jesus, Mary and Joseph around us. I have no doubt that they were holding her.

I loved her and I hope she will intercede for me.

My love and prayers to you and your family.

–Marilyn Aggie’s Friend

Boys, needless to say her spirit lives on in you and all the life’s she touched. She will be near in my heart forever, such fond memories.. I so wanted to be there with her to the end but Covid made things impossible. Please know you and your family are being lifted up in my prayers.

I hope you received the little photo album of Aggie from me.

Peace and comfort,

–Ann Ingling

What a great tribute to your mom...so fun to see all these pictures. I love the way you showed all the phases of her long and interesting life. Know you will miss her so:(
Xox Robin Owen
...same age as our mother.

–Robin Burnham

I had the honor of being one of dear sweet Aggie’s Caregivers at Laurel Lake. She loved her music & I would dance around the room w/her in the wheel chair & she would smile & look at me w/ those big beautiful blue eyes. She did not talk much in the later years, but one time she did when I was leaving I said “I love u Aggie, see you tomorrow” & she replied clear as a bell “I love u too”. That made my day as I left w/a tear in my eye. Your long journey is over on earth. Now u are with Our Lord & his Angels where we all hope to be someday. Love 💕 Jan xoxo

–Jan Grether

I remember how lovingly she always spoke about her family. She had a deep love and pride in her children and grandchildren.

–Marilyn Snyder

More than my memories of Agnes -- whom I only met on a few occasions -- are my memories and friendships with her children, which is to say, her legacy. In sports, the classroom, creative venues and social measures, certainly my closest friend of the brood, Mark, nears the front of the line and brothers John, Tom, Charlie and Rob are all in close step. I'm sure that they have heard it said often: "Your Mom must be very proud!" I'm certain it's true and what's more, she's NOW enjoying an encore with the AL TERCEK ORCHESTRA! Rest in peace, Agnes, and Hugs to all of the TERCEK ASSOCIATTI.

–Jeff Murray

She was a class act, and one particularly special interaction stands out...

As the family gathering moved from one venue to another, the three of us - Aunt Aggie, my wife, and I - arrived first at the next spot. I asked how my cousins and her grandchildren were doing. Aunt Aggie was so happy talking about them. So proud. She beamed, and she cracked us up - each story had a particular verve unique to her sensibilities and sense of humor. She was holding court. Emily cut in, "So what's your secret? How did you manage those kids and set them up for success? We might have kids one day. We want to be as happy as you are right now."

Her answer was so quick... so quick-witted... and delivered with love and a wry smile. "I gave them book reports." We asked for more.

"They would argue and yell and do all sorts of things that kids do at the dinner table, and that wasn't going to work. So I would assign them something to talk about, and we'd have a civil conversation about it. It made our house peaceful, and it may have even helped them."

We have 3 girls now, and when things are getting out of control at the dinner table or on a car ride we make a call to Aunt Aggie's playbook - single one of them out and say, "Tell me all about..." And as they proudly expound on something, we smile and think of Aunt Agnes.

–Paul and Emily Kosmerl

I often picture Aggie sitting at the kitchen countertop at the end of every evening having a cup of coffee ( she must be immune to Caffeine) and reading a book of contemporary fiction for her book club. She was forever working on self improvement and taking on more and more complex works of fiction.

–Jean Huang

Dear Tercek family and Grandchildren,

I would first like to pass along my deepest sympathy to all of you. My heart ❤️ goes out to your family because she will be deeply missed by all. I truly believe she lived such a long life because she has such a strong family foundation built of love, happiness and faith all around her throughout her whole life.
I was very fortunate to have taken care of Mrs. Agnes Tercek for a very long time while she was at Laurel Lake.
Every time you walked in the room and her blue eyes would lite up and she would smile. I always enjoyed taking her for long walks outside and at one of the lakes for fresh air, she loved it. Agnes Tercek you were very blessed in so many ways. She had a very unique family who loved her a lot. She always looked forward to the whole family coming in for Thanksgiving each year and they enjoyed it too.
She was always glad to see her sons and all of her grandchildren.
When her family came in for thanksgiving each year at laurel lake they would all come in and after dinner John her son would sit down at the piano and play songs for her and the family and she would smile and everyone would sing and have a good time.

–Amy Maghes

I am sorry I never had the pleasure of meeting Agnes, but love the Tercek family dearly: Tom and Binny, Sam, Abigail, Clay and Nell. I love seeing the photos of Agnes and reading about her life. I see resemblance in all of you kids. Our hearts go out to you at this time of loss.

–Lauren Blum

To the Tercek Boys:

“… And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.” 1st Epistle of St Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verse 13.

Aunt Aggie and Uncle Al, my Godparents, embodied the gift of Charity throughout my childhood by acting as my “home away from home” on many, many, and many a summer day, Monday through Friday as I was the youngest and my parents and older siblings worked. Living only two houses away on Nottingham or cutting through the Kohl’s backyard, a daily adventure of fun, chores, lunches and snacks in two of the greatest backyards for a child to grow up in the City of Cleveland awaited. On these days from early morning until I got summoned home by a yell through the backyard made memories of a lifetime. During all of those days I have hardly no memories of Aunt Aggie losing her temper with me or her children but always maternal correcting as necessary and allowing us to enjoy our youthful exuberance. I enjoyed reminiscing with Tom and John tonight but missing Charlie and Robbie who were in route from the west coast was difficult and hope one day to again cross paths. If I did see you I would have mentioned the days which were filled with fun in the greatest treehouse in the world, playing underneath the two tall pine trees, setting up army men, cleaning the pears and apples under the trees while pitching them and hitting them with a wooden baseball bat, bike rides to Flo’s Freeze, Neff pool, exploring Euclid Creek or night time games of Kick the Can, to name a few (and even having the honor of being the fill in Plain Dealer paper boy during Tercek vacations.)

As we grew older and lives changed and families grew over the years, Aunt Aggie exchanged letters and cards with my wife Lynette. As I read how the Tercek family was doing, I always heard her voice while reading them, being happy and supportive for our family as I still hear her voice in my head to this day. Thank you again Aunt Aggie and Uncle Al for your Charity during my youth, being wonderful Godparents and your examples of parenthood which I could only hope to have replicated.

May your souls and all of the souls of the faithful departed through the Mercy of God Rest In Peace.

Love, Anthony & Lynette Urankar and family

–Anthony Urankar

You raised an amazing family and your love shines bright!

–Lynn Ogden

Dear Tercek Family, My deepest sympathy in the loss of your great mother. She always had a smiling face didn't mind one more person around the house. I wish I had the opportunity to see you all since it has been many years. Great memories of growing up on Dillewood and you on Nottingham! Stay well and safe and peace to all of you this Thanksgiving season!
Maria

–Maria Lavrisha-Kristanc

Our Buffalo bank foreclosed on our Argus Avenue house. We moved to Cleveland to rent near friends. Because our parents worked alternating shifts, Agnes helped to raise me through infancy and beyond. She enrolled me into Saint Christine School. I can see her today as we climbed the stairs to enter. Our Catholic Faith was number one (1) in our home. Lovingly, Frank W Kosmerl , Agnes's brother

–Frank Kosmerl

Maybe it’s because I’m the fifth of six kids, and by the time I was of age my mother was just worn out, but here’s the thing: whenever I pitched a crazy idea to my mom - and I had plenty of far-out ideas - she never once said, “That’ll never work,” or “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

For example, when I told her I wanted to study English Lit in college because I hoped to become a writer when I graduated, she simply smiled and wished me luck. Same thing when I told her I wanted to move to New York and become an advertising copywriter. And when, a few years later, I said I was moving to Hollywood to get a job writing for a TV show. And when, a few years after that, I decided to try my hand at directing TV shows and TV commercials. She never once discouraged me or told me I was making a mistake. Today, I’m a parent, so I can attest at how hard this must have been for her. She probably bit a big hole in her tongue more than once!

With that kind of unwavering support, though, all of us Tercek kids accomplished great things with our lives. We never doubted that we could attain whatever it was we had set our hearts on. Sure, every once in a while things didn’t work out, but when that happened - and amazingly, it didn’t happen that often - we just dusted ourselves off and tried a little harder the next time.

Thanks for believing in us, Mom!

–Charlie Tercek