Obituaries

Theresa Avona


Theresa Mae Belle Avona, a lifelong resident of Shelter Island, passed away peacefully at her residence at the age of 88 on October 8, 2009 from a recent battle with pancreatic cancer.


Theresa was born on September 26, 1921 to Ida (née: Leden) and Frank Edwards and attended Greenport School. In 1940 she married the love of her life, Joseph Avona, and resided on Shelter Island in their home on North Ferry Road. Theresa was an active member of the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, the United Presbyterian Women’s Club and a former Deacon. A regular at the Monday afternoon Nutrition Program, Theresa enjoyed spending her days around friends and family. During the fall and winter months you could always find her on the bottom row of the bleachers in the school gym catching a volleyball or basketball game. But when Sunday came along, she could always be found in the back pew on the right hand side of the Presbyterian Church listening to one of Pastor Bill’s stories from Grace Falls.


Theresa was pre-deceased by her husband Joe, her brothers Richard and Frank “Pete” Edwards and sister Jean Mitchell. Her survivors include sons Jimmy and Charlie of Shelter Island, sister Shirley Mundy of Shelter Island, brother George of Spokane, Washington, and numerous nephews and nieces as well as grandnieces, grandnephews and even great-grandnieces and great grandnephews.


A funeral service was officiated by Pastor Bill Grimbol at the Shelter Island Presbyterian Church on Sunday, October 11. Theresa will be interred next to her devoted and much loved husband Joe during a private service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: Shelter Island Presbyterian Church, PO Box 612, Shelter Island, NY 11964 or East End Hospice, PO Box 1048, Westhampton, NY 11978.