ANSONIA: Therese Yolande Harnois, age 91, entered God’s loving care on February 1, 2026, at the Lutheran Home of Southbury. She was the beloved longtime companion of the late Mary M. Shortell.
Born in Woonsocket, RI on July 20, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Florian and Irene Cloutier Harnois. Therese was employed in private education as both an elementary educator and a high school language teacher, where she acted as an advisor of Bonjour, a series of elementary French books.
Since 1969, she also worked as a teacher and chairperson of the foreign language department at Amity Regional Junior High School in Bethany. Therese served as President of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Association of Teachers of French as well as for Phi Delta Kappa at Southern Connecticut State University.
She was a devoted communicant of Holy Rosary Church in Ansonia where she served as co-chair of the First Holy Rosary Stewardship Initiative for nine years under the direction of Reverend Ronald Genua. Therese also served as a Eucharistic Minister, coordinator and member of the parish choir and a member of the Rosary Guild.
Therese would like to extend a special thank you to Father Stephen Krugel, Deacon Richard Renker and Mary Renker, Terri Wadsworth, Mary Gibson, and Anne Lorusso.
Therese leaves to cherish her memory, Ronald Shortell, God-daughter, Jennifer Shortell (Scott Burnop), Lori Ann Catanzaro (Charlie) and Brenda Shortell. She was predeceased by her dear friend and care taker, Maryanne Regan.
Relatives and friends are invited to greet the family and pay their respects on Thursday, February 5, 2026, from 9:00-10:00 am in the chapel of SPINELLI-RICCIUTI FUNERAL HOME, 62 Beaver Street in Ansonia.
Her funeral will then proceed to Holy Rosary Church in Ansonia for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 am. Interment will immediately follow in Mount Saint Peter Cemetery in Derby. To sign Therese’s guestbook or share a memory, please visit, www.spinelliricciutifh.com.