Theresa Louise Staab, 76, of Leawood, Kansas, joyfully sprinted through the finish line right into the arms of Jesus on Saturday, January 16, with her beloved family cheering her on. Her celebration of life will be held Monday, February 9, at 5:30 P.M., followed by a Visitation Reception at Midtown Baptist Temple, 3953 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64111.

As the youngest child of many, Theresa Louise Rose arrived on December 20, 1949, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Winnie Lucille “Mary” and her dad, Clarence David O’Hara. She graduated Wyandotte High School in 1967, dabbled in a variety of university courses, and completed her studies at Shepherd School of Ministry in 1994. A dedicated student of the Holy Bible, Theresa had a bookshelf that groaned under the weight of Bible commentaries and missionary biographies.

In 1971, Theresa married her real-life superhero, Gary Staab. They pulled off a loving marriage of nearly 49 years, which is clearly a testament to divine intervention. Together, they raised four fantastic (if we do say so) kids—Erika Perkins (Decker) of Lee’s Summit, MO; Jessica Hall (Jeff) of Bucyrus, KS; Jeremy Staab (Jill) of West Richmond, Washington; and Danika Wissman (Mark) of Edwardsville, KS. Their lively bunch soon multiplied into ten awesome grandchildren—McKenzie Mills (Austin), Brady Perkins (Josie), Cheney Perkins, Adrian Staab, Eban Staab, Caiden Hall (Alivia), Aliya Hall, Ciah Hall, Phoenix Wissman, and Shelby Wissman—and one adorable great-grandson, Sawyer. Rumor has it, more great grandkids are on the way!

She is preceded in death by beloved siblings Roberta Josephine, Ruth Ann, and David Floyd, and is survived by Mary Alice Kelley, Patricia Young, and Gary Long (Norma).

Theresa and Gary’s love story began at the Federal Reserve Bank—because what’s more romantic than stacks of money, paper checks, and balance sheets? After tying the knot, Theresa became the CEO of her home, supporting Gary and their family with the kind of love and dedication that deserves its own award show. While Gary worked in the corporate world and served as a pastor, Theresa was always his right-hand gal, both in ministry and at home.

Life wasn’t always a walk in the park for Theresa. She faced a tough childhood, but with her new life in Christ, she leaned on the Lord and decided she’d break the mold and be the kind of mom her kids would brag about. At 16, after a 14-year-old girl shared her faith, Theresa joyfully accepted Jesus as her Savior, and the adventure began! She devoted her life to sharing the love of Jesus with everyone she met. Over the years, her ministries included children’s ministry, one-on-one discipleship, and jail ministry, among others. And if you made it to her holiday table, you were family. Her kitchen was legendary for sausage crepes, Parker House rolls, pumpkin roll, and out-of-this-world Black Forest cheesecake.

Theresa cherished her relationship with her husband, her family, and especially her grandkids and great-grandson, but above all, Jesus. She lived joyfully, sharing faith and love openly, believing every day was worth celebrating with the Lord.