Theresa Catalani went to be with the Lord on the morning of Sunday, January 22, 2017 at the age of 96 years. She passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her loving family.

Although born in Clifton, Arizona on December 17, 1920, she lived in San Antonio from early childhood and had been a resident of Castle Hills since 1959.

Theresa was the daughter of Tomas Sirianni and Annunciata Noce Sirianni, both of whom immigrated to the United States from the Calabria region of southern Italy. She was the youngest and the last living among ten siblings, including five sons and five daughters.

Theresa grew up in the Italian neighborhood near the San Francesco di Paola Catholic Church and Christopher Columbus Park in the northeast downtown area. She remained active with the church throughout her life and was a member of the Altar & Rosary Society and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Christopher Columbus Italian Society of San Antonio.

She attended San Antonio public schools and graduated in 1938 from Jefferson High School, where she was a Jefferson Lasso. After attending Draughon's Business College, she worked at Randolph Field Tailor and Laundry, which was owned by her brother.

On June 25, 1944, she married Nicholas Louis Catalani, Sr. of San Antonio and subsequently became a homemaker and the mother of two surviving children. She supported her husband through the years in his operation, with his brother Frank Catalani, Sr., of B. Catalani Wholesale Produce, a business that had been founded by their father.

Following development of the Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel in 1968 by Pat Zachry in partnership with Nic, Theresa and Nic traveled frequently to Hilton Hotels openings and events around the United States. Nic remained president of Palacio del Rio Corporation at the time of his death in 1991. In her later years, Theresa served as a volunteer at St. George's Episcopal School and for ten years as a Bluebird volunteer at Methodist Hospital.

Theresa Sirianni Catalani is survived by her son, Nic Catalani, Jr. and his family, including Pam Catalani, granddaughter April Catalani Cook, her husband Chad Cook, and great grandsons William and Benjamin Cook, and by grandson Kevin Catalani and his wife, Erin, and great grandson Carter; and by her daughter, Diane Catalani Falkenberg and her family, including husband Howard Falkenberg and granddaughter Nicole Falkenberg Wilcox and her husband, Don Wilcox; and by numerous nieces and nephews.

Theresa wished that her daughter Diane, her son Nic, daughter-in-law Pam, son-in-law Howard, niece Florence (Pie) Pisano, physician Alaina Hallmark, M.D., and caregivers Theresa Trevino and Carmen Luna, be remembered at her death with special thanks for their continuous concern and assistance during her life. Thanks also to Vitas Healthcare for providing comfort and care in Theresa's final weeks of life.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of John Delgado of Angelus Funeral Home. Rosary and funeral mass for Theresa will be said beginning at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 27, 2017 at San Francesco di Paola Church, 205 Piazza Italia in San Antonio. Interment will follow at San Fernando Catholic Cemetery #2 at 746 Castroville Road in San Antonio.

Serving as pallbearers for the services are Theresa's nephews Dan Catalani, Steven Catalani, Louis Pisano, Stanley Pisano, Jr., Vito Ponzio, Jr., and Danny Sirianni. Honorary pallbearers are Judge Sol Casseb III, Julius Germano, Cosmo Guido, Charles Keeler, Victor Pisano and Louis Sirianni.

Those wishing to remember Theresa with a memorial are encouraged to consider San Francesco di Paola Catholic Church.