Teresa Marie Schwarz Schachle, age 94, was born at home in Manchester, Oklahoma, on July 8, 1931, to Fred and Margaret (Wenke) Schwarz. She passed away on November 24, 2025, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Teresa's grandparents on both her mother's and father's sides came from Germany and settled in Kansas. Her grandfather, Adam Schwarz, participated in the Oklahoma Land Run of 1893, and her father arrived in Oklahoma as an infant. Their journey in a buckboard wagon helped spark Teresa's lifelong love for family history.

Teresa attended Dilworth School in Kay County and graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School in 1949. Teresa met James Schachle at a Catholic Youth Conference and they corresponded by mail and met occasionally before they married on February 4, 1950 at Blackwell Oklahoma. Together they made their home in the St. Francis community southeast of Canute. Teresa lovingly embraced the tradition and heritage of the Schachle family, who first arrived in the area in 1907.

While James owned and operated Schachle Insurance Agency, Teresa became a devoted homemaker, raising their family of thirteen children. Even with the demands of a large family, she found countless opportunities to share her time, talents, and energy with her church, school, and community. She ensured that her children had every opportunity to participate, learn, and grow, and she was faithfully present in each of their activities.

As her children grew, Teresa served her community in many capacities. She was a homeroom mother, an FFA and FHA mother, a Girl Scouts mother, assisted with Canute 4-H, was a charter member of the Canute School Education Foundation, and was an active member of the Canute PTA and Canute Sports Booster Club. She tirelessly volunteered wherever her children were involved.

A lifelong member of the Catholic Church, Teresa was active during the 1950s and 60s in many organizations and activities at St. Francis Parish southeast of Canute. When St. Francis Parish closed in 1970, she became a devoted and active member of St. Matthew Catholic Church, where she continued her service throughout her life. She became a certified religious education teacher, cooked at youth camps, assisted with Meals on Wheels, and worked with the SHARE programs and the St. Vincent de Paul Society. As a member of the St. Matthew Women's Guild, she served as secretary and later as president for more than ten years. In 1998, Teresa received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award, the second-highest honor given by the Catholic Church, presented by Pope John Paul II, now Saint John Paul II. She was fortunate to receive Papal blessings from several popes in St. Peter's Square in Rome, Italy.

She was active in the Senior Citizens groups of both St. Matthew's and Canute. In 1999, she was nominated by the Canute Senior Citizens for Outstanding Older Oklahoman. In May of that year, she was announced as the district winner, and the seniors honored her with a special celebration day.

Teresa was also a proud member of the Elk City Lioness Club, receiving Lioness of the Year in 1978 and later being nominated for State Lioness of the Year in 2001. After their children were grown, she joined Jamie at the Lions Concession Stand at the Elk City Labor Day annual rodeo. For many years, she worked the grill and taught volunteers her efficient system for making hamburgers. She received the Melvin Jones Fellow Award from Lions Clubs International in 2019, the highest form of recognition acknowledging humanitarian ideals consistent with the purpose of Lionism.

In 2003, Teresa was inducted into the Western Oklahoma Historical Society Hall of Fame, honoring her lifelong dedication to documenting and preserving the history of western Oklahoma. In her introductory speech, she wrote, "Many thanks to my late, hardworking husband, Jamie. He worked many hours to earn what we needed to survive, and he used to say he made the money and I spent it."

She was known as the "Historian and Photographer" for the 100th anniversary of the founding of St. Francis Church. She researched and wrote the history of the first Catholic church in western Oklahoma, often referred to as the "Mother Church." Her passion for preserving the stories of family, church, and community remained a constant thread throughout her life.

Everyone Teresa met was drawn to her lively spirit. Her large circle of family and friends included many cousins, nieces, and nephews, along with well-known personalities such as Chris Golden, who performed at her 90th birthday celebration; the Oak Ridge Boys; Wayne and Kat Newton; Neal and Melinda McCoy; and Jack and Suzi Hanna.

Teresa's parents created a tradition of gathering family for reunions and special celebrations. Continuing this legacy, Teresa and Jamie began the Schachle Family Reunions in 1990, which continue every other year across the United States. Their German and Liechtenstein roots have broadened the family across the globe to gather together. Another tradition cherished by Teresa and Jamie was spending time in the cool mountains of Red River, New Mexico, where Jamie cooked so Teresa could rest. The family continues both traditions today.

Along with her many roles of service, Teresa enjoyed quilting, genealogy, decorating for senior citizen dinners and St. Matthew special events, and traveling—sometimes requiring two cars to hold everyone. Her travels took her to Rome, the Holy Land, Washington, D.C., and many other destinations, several of which included genealogy and historical research.

Teresa is survived by her thirteen children: Roberta Unland and Niel Pezzillo; Judy and Eugene Hughes; Mike and Donna (Sanders) Schachle; Martina Schachle; Paul Schachle; Mary and Kervin Orgain; Barbara and Donnie Shirey; Fred and Debra (Miller) Schachle; Joe and Melissa (Noles) Schachle; Margaret and Kevin Newby; Louis and Susan (Smith) Schachle; Sharon Schachle and Denise Gretz; and Loraine Schachle.

Her grandchildren include John and Molly (Filbin) Briscoe; Melissa (Briscoe) and Chris Sleight; Jennifer (Hughes) and Derek Nightingale; Deanna (Hughes) and Dain Foster; Amanda (Schachle) and Nick Carr; Jeff and Abby (Balderas) Schachle; Jayme (Schachle) and Jeremy Roper; Nikki (Schachle) Sullivan; Matt and Amy (Brown) Schachle; Jared and Madison (Roberts) Florence; Mindy (Orgain) and Alex Garcia; Kandi (Orgain) Trejo and Gary Brackett; Jennie (Shirey) and Adam Yow; Jeremy and Hayley (Mower) Shirey; Greg and Kayla (Stowers) Schachle; Kera Newby; Kelsey Newby; and Jessica (Schachle) and Nick Gordon.

Her great-grandchildren include Alec Fields,Chloe, Henry, Vincent Briscoe; Hugh and Matteo Nightingale; Oxley and Wrenley Foster; Nate and Taylor (Tison) Carr, Scott Carr, Zack Carr, and Ashlee and Ronnie Rickman; Daylee, Dezi, and Drew Schachle; Tori and Justyce Roper; Paxton and Paisley Schachle; Camden Roberts and Van Florence; Alexia, Vinci, Cruz, Ryder, and Aubrie Garcia; Evan, Mason, and Gavin Yow; and Paiten and Miley Hoffman, Miyha and Marlee Coleman. Her great-great-grandchildren include Bryer and Baker Carr. Special friend Dawn Majors.

She was preceded in death by her husband, James Schachle; her parents, Fred and Margaret (Wenke) Schwarz; her sisters, Sister Mary Michael (Evangeline) Schwarz, Loraine and Gilbert Stewart, Bernadine and Hal Lynch, Geraldine Schwarz, and Rita and Alfred Giroux; her brother, Gilbert and Betty Sue (Sherbon) Schwarz; and many beloved members of the Schwarz and Schachle families.

The vigil service for Teresa will take place at 7: 00 PM on Friday , November 28, 2025, at St Matthew Catholic Church, 3001 E Hwy 66 Access Road, Elk City, Oklahoma. The funeral Mass will be at 11:00 AM at St Matthew's with burial immediately following at St Francis Catholic Cemetery, 2 miles south and 2 miles east of Canute, Oklahoma. Arrangements being handled by Whinery Funeral Service, 403 W. Country Club Blvd., Elk City, Oklahoma