The family and friends of Therese Cieslak deeply mourn her death on September 9, 2026, at the age of 69, following a difficult battle with cancer. Therese, known by many as Terri, was a person of compassion, determination and creativity. She generously devoted her life, energy and talents to her family, her Polish heritage, to travel, the study of genealogy, and to numerous artistic endeavors.

She was more than a sister to her siblings, more than an aunt to her nieces and nephews and more than someone who just took time to look into her family roots. She approached everyone and everything with intense devotion, love and an immense heart.

Born in Milwaukee, WI in 1957 to Edward and Martha Cieslak, she grew up with three brothers, James, Thomas and Joseph, and two sisters, Margaret and Mary, in a home on the city’s south side. Her father died in 1975. Later in life, Terri returned to her childhood home to live with and care for her mother, who passed away in 2009.

Terri attended grade school at St. Ignatius Catholic Church and graduated from Pulaski High School in 1975. At Pulaski, she was one of first female students to earn a sports letter jacket for excellence in tennis. In 1979, she graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a major in history and later pursued studies in business administration.

Her love of history and world cultures led to travel adventures around the world while her business acumen led her to a career as the manager of records at the Milwaukee Police Department.

With a strong pride in her Polish heritage, Terri devoted a great deal of time and study to the exploration of her family’s roots. With letters that her mother traded with ancestors in Poland, she was fortunate to find friends in Milwaukee who could translate them and establish contact with her current relatives abroad. She discovered that they were still farming the same land in Poland that her great grandfather had managed when he left to come to Milwaukee in 1910. She visited those relatives and wrote a complete history of the family in a fully illustrated and documented book, “An Immigrant’s Story.” It followed a similar historical memoir, written by her mother, Martha.

Terri’s study of ancestral heritages didn’t stop there, however. In what amounted to a second career of sorts, Terri gained local notoriety as an expert in genealogy research. She gave generously of her time at Polish Fest and other Milwaukee festivals to help others fill in their family trees and gave numerous presentations to community and professional groups on genealogical research. She was a member of the Milwaukee County Genealogical Society and the Milwaukee Wisconsin FamilySearch Center sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

As a student of history and world cultures, Terri traveled extensively in her life, learning firsthand the language and traditions of other countries, particularly Poland and Italy. She also enjoyed traveling with her friends and family in the U.S. and abroad.

Throughout her life, Terri remained committed to her family, and especially her nieces and nephews and their children. She was gifted in crochet, producing multi-colored afghans for family, friends and charities. She enlivened the Christmas holidays with beautifully ornate handmade wreaths and wonderfully decorated Christmas trees that were always a holiday surprise. She maintained a beautiful garden and, when not working, enjoyed relaxing in front of the television with her cat, Lucy, as an avid follower of European soccer, Including her favorite team, the Liverpool Soccer Club.

As we celebrate the joys of Terri Cieslak’s life with us, we ask that you join us in fond and lasting memory of all she did and all the love she shared, a legacy we will always remember and cherish.

Therese Cieslak was preceded in death by her father, Edward Cieslak and Martha Cieslak. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Thomas Cieslak, who died in 2024 and is survived by his wife Patricia Cieslak.

Terri is survived by her brothers and sisters and their children:

• James Cieslak (Mary Ellen Cieslak) and their children, Jennifer Cieslak (partner Jason Koelle) and Michelle Duesterbeck (Jeffrey Duesterbeck).

• Mary Cieslak-Duchek (Robert Duchek) and their children, Michael Duchek (Richelle Ladwig), Anne Duchek (former spouse Jeffrey Tokarczyk) and Brian Duchek (spouse Kelsey Schoppenhorst).

• Margaret Etlicher (David Etlicher) and their children, Kevin Etlicher and Johanna Etlicher.

• Joseph Cieslak (Judith Masch-Cieslak) and their daughter Sarah Cieslak.