Teresa Elizabeth Poissant

The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed on the St. Cornelius Church YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIL7HjOKz14 

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It is with great sadness, the family of Teresa "Terry" Elizabeth Dessert Poissant, announces her passing on September 5, 2025 at the age of 92. Terry, a cherished wife, beloved mother and a pillar of her Catholic faith, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family in her home, The Ivy Park at Cerritos, an assisted living facility.

Terry was born on October 24, 1932 in the town of Lebanon, New Hampshire at the newly opened Alice Peck Hospital. She grew up on Hardy Hill just outside of town. She was the 9th and last child of Henry Dessert and Marie Louise Lambert. She had 5 brothers and 3 sisters. Henry, Francis, Rene, Maurice, Edwidge, Evelyn, George and Agnes. 

The first eight years of her schooling was at the Sacred Heart Catholic School on Eldridge Street in Lebanon. She made her First Holy Communion in 1940 at the "Old" Sacred Heart Church on School Street and was confirmed at the "New" Sacred Heart Church. Terry graduated from 8th grade along with her brother Henry in June of 1946. She attended the Sacred Heart High School on Bank Street where she excelled in Home Economics, where she became proficient in sewing, typing and short hand. She was also very involved with the 4H club receiving numerous awards along with being a member of the Lebanon Grange. As a sophomore she worked at Woolworths after school and on Saturdays for a whopping 50 cents per hour. After graduating High School in June of 1950 Terry worked at Carters Overall shop for $30 a week.

She left home in March of 1952 and traveled by train to Washington DC where she started as a clerk typist with the Navy. Her desire to improve her career led her to the Nursing School at Notre Dame de Lourdes Hospital School of Nursing in Manchester, NH

It was during her last year in school, in June of 1958 that she would meet the "Love of Her Life", Leo. He had come from California to visit family who lived in Manchester. As the story goes, Leo's sister Irene, who was also in the same nursing school, set up Terry and Leo on a blind date to a local dance. After that first date they were inseparable until he had to return to his job as a Long Beach Fireman.

She graduated nursing school on August 31, 1958 in Manchester. Her first job was at Mary Hitchcock Hospital Hanover, NH. After a short stint she she decided in March of 1959 to travel to California by car. Along came her niece Virginia Green, Louise Trembly and Mary a nurse friend. She soon started working at the "Old" Memorial Hospital in downtown Long Beach and then later worked in a smaller doctor's office.

On August 22,1959 Terry and Leo were married at Saint Mathews Catholic Church in Long Beach, CA and honeymooned up the Coast of California.

Terry will always be remembered for her love of gardening, reading, volunteering and her never ending organization skills.

She is survived by her 5 children, 11 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Dan (Mary) Diane and Nico.  Tim (Lisa) Janelle, Courtney (Caleb), Margo (Malachi) Nyhuis, Asher, Levi, Jason, Nicole, and David. Marty (Mina) Andre and Luc. Roger (Stacy) Hudson, Townsen, and Chad. Monique and her daughter Payton. Her brother Henry Dessert of Lebanon, NH and her niece Virginia Green of Concord NH along with many other wonderful nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her husband and longtime travel partner, Leo Henry Poissant (2015).