Teresa Anne Chapman

Teresa Anne (Calabrisi) Chapman, age 79, was called to be with the lord unexpectedly on Wednesday, January 31st, 2024. She was a beautiful mother, wife, sister, daughter, grandmother, and friend. Most would agree, the best word to describe Teresa would be lovable. Teresa was born in Binghamton, New York on June 26th, 1944. She was affectionately referred to as “Terry.” She was the daughter of John and Justina (Bassano) Calabrisi and the oldest of her siblings. She is survived by her loving brothers, John Calabrisi and Robert (Janet) Calabrisi. Terry was the wife of Robert “Bob” Chapman and beloved mother to Robert (Christine) Chapman, David (Yan) Chapman, and Julie (Mark) Chapman Gillenwalters. She was blessed with seven grandchildren whom she absolutely adored: Jacob, Adin, Luke, Amanda, Declan, Max, and Kylie. Her grandchildren were the loves of her life. Teresa grew up loving music, art, astronomy, and performing. When she was a little girl, she would get together with her brothers, close friend, Donna Scarchelli, and favorite cousins, Michael and Theodore Bassano. They put on plays in the yard for hours. The group would love to sing, dance, and play guitar together, creating some of the best childhood memories. When Terry became a teenager, she was a drummer in the Binghamton High School Band, and she loved hanging out with her closest friends, such as life-long best friend Marie Liberati. After Terry graduated from high school, she attended Broome Community College and worked for the Bell Telephone Company. When Terry was in her early twenties, she met Bob Chapman while skiing with friends at Greek Peak. She always said that Bob was the love of her life, and we know he felt the same. The two eloped in Elkton, Maryland and raised their three children in the Binghamton area. She was very active in her children’s activities, no matter what they were. She would run the mother’s clubs for dance, soccer, and hockey, and participate in fundraisers when her kids would race Microds (go-karts) for the Southern Tier Microd Club. When it came to her involvement with St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church, she would help organize the church bazaar every year, taught faith formation, and helped out wherever she could. Teresa was all about community, and loved being with people. When it came to bringing people together, Teresa was a phenomenal cook and hosted numerous holidays and parties at her home. She would love to sit with family members, play the guitar and organ, and sing songs with them. She had a gorgeous voice. She created incredible Italian dishes, such as eggplant parmesan, delicious artichokes, and her famous lasagna. There were rarely leftovers and people would often make requests for her specialities. Her Italian heritage was not only shown through her cooking, but also fueled her passion to travel. She often journaled her many trips overseas with detailed stories that she would love to tell. But her most notable talent: ceramics. Teresa was an amazing and beloved painter and ceramics instructor. She owned and operated her own business out of her basement and garage, teaching neighborhood ceramics classes for 30 years. Her classes were so popular, she would host them four to five nights a week. The classes were much more than learning art; her students just loved being around her, and she helped them create the most beautiful memories. They had so much fun in her classes. After her children married, Teresa moved from Binghamton to Albany to be closer to all of her grandchildren. Teresa never missed a sporting event or school play, and was always there to listen to a story or play the guitar and sing songs. She brought light-hearted joy to every gathering, and everyone who met her, fell in love with her. She also taught ceramics for Albany County, and made many close friends playing Scrabble twice a week with Shirley, Mary, Helen, and Rose. When her grandchildren were older and the cold winters became too much, Teresa moved to St. Petersburg, Florida to be closer to her brothers. The three of them had so much fun together eating out, playing games, and performing music. She made so many close friends in her complex, playing games and doing crafts, and she loved hosting visitors seeking her sunshine. Teresa was also a great listener with a tremendous memory. She was always excited to share in anyone’s good news. One of her favorite things to do was sit down with a cup of coffee and chat about life. In her senior years, Teresa became obsessed with Elvis Presley, and people loved it. Nobody knows more about Elvis’s life than Teresa. She even visited Graceland in Memphis and would make people smile with her constant Elvis trivia. We pray she’s singing with him right now, just like she did at her 75th surprise party. But sadly, in the last year, Teresa’s health declined, and she entered heaven at the end of January with close family members by her side after a heart complication. Teresa was so loved and brought joy to the world, leaving it a better place. May God bless her. A celebration of Teresa Chapman’s life will take place on Friday, February 23rd at St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church, 37 Fayette Street, Binghamton, New York. The family will be receiving guests at 9am, with a funeral mass at 10am led by her dear cousin, Father Michael Bassano. Immediately following mass, there will be a private family burial service for Teresa at Calvary Cemetery in Johnson City.

Teresa Anne Chapman

June 26, 1944 - January 31, 2024