Theresa Koskie

Theresa Marie Koskie, age 58, of Collinsville, IL, born on July 23, 1968 at Memorial Hospital, Belleville, Illinois; passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, October 5, 2026 at her home.

Theresa was a 1986 graduate of Collinsville High School.  

Theresa was born with a craniofacial birth defect and, from a very young age, faced challenges that would have overwhelmed many. She spent nearly every summer of her childhood at Children’s Hospital undergoing reconstructive surgeries. Throughout her life, she endured an abundance of additional medical complications—more than any one person should ever have to face. As if those challenges were not enough, Theresa was also the victim of impaired drivers on two separate occasions, leaving her to overcome even more physical and emotional obstacles.

In 2013 Theresa nearly left us due to congestive heart failure. After spending weeks in the intensive care unit in a coma and several more weeks in rehabilitation, God decided He wasn't done writing her story.

Yet Theresa’s life cannot be defined by the hardships she endured. Those experiences were only a part of her story. She possessed a remarkable strength and determination that carried her through circumstances that repeatedly tested her. She learned early in life how to persevere, how to adapt, and how to keep moving forward even when the road before her was unimaginably difficult.

Theresa was a content person who found genuine happiness in things others might have overlooked. She did not need extravagance to feel loved or appreciated. A piece of “gifted” furniture, a handmade wreath from a cousin, or a drawing for her refrigerator from a niece or nephew made especially for her could bring her enormous joy. She treasured the thought, the effort and the connection behind those gifts far more than any monetary value.

That simplicity was part of what made Theresa so special. She appreciated what she had, found comfort in familiar things and took pride in making her home feel personal and loved. The photographs covering her walls, the handmade decorations, and the pieces passed along to her by family were more than belongings; they were reminders of the people she cherished and the relationships that meant so much to her.

But...perhaps one of the greatest joys of Theresa’s life was her family, especially her nieces and nephews and, later, her great-nieces and great-nephews, whom she loved beyond measure. She took tremendous pride in each and every one of them and made it a priority to be present for the moments that mattered.  Births, baptisms, school plays, sporting events, choir concerts, cheerleading, award ceremonies, graduations and weddings were not simply dates on a calendar to Theresa; they were moments to be celebrated, remembered and treasured.   

She was always among the first to ask for a copy of the newest school picture, sports photograph, graduation photo or family snapshot. Her home became a reflection of just how deeply she loved them, proudly decorated with photographs documenting their lives as they grew. Each picture represented someone she adored and another memory she held close to her heart. Her nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews never had to wonder whether Aunt Theresa was proud of them. She showed them, over and over again, through her presence, her enthusiasm and the countless photographs she so proudly displayed.

Theresa's life testimony impacted the lives of everyone she met. Her life was a testament to endurance, resilience and the extraordinary strength that can exist within one person. Behind Theresa's strength was a woman with an enormous capacity to love, a strong faith, a "quirky" personality, and a story uniquely all her own.

Her scars—both seen and unseen—tell the story of what she survived, but the photographs that filled her home tell an equally important story: the story of whom she loved and what mattered most to her.

Left to mourn her sudden passing are her siblings, Joe (Sharon) Koskie of California, MO, Wayne Koskie of Homedale, ID, John (Paula) Koskie of Granite City, IL, Vickie Juengel of Caseyville, IL, and Mark (Teresa) Koskie of Worden, IL; many loving nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Theresa was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Dolores, nee Werner, Koskie; her sister Laura Koskie, sister-in-law, Debbie Koskie; her brother-in-law, Jerry Juengel; and a great- nephew, Jackson Michael Pfershy.

Donations in Theresa’s memory may be made to the Caseyville Food Pantry.

Services will be on Tuesday October 13, 2026 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Kassly Mortuary, Ltd., Fairview Heights, Illinois.

Burial will immediately follow services and be held on October 13, 2026, at  1:15 p.m. Interment will be in Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, IL.

Obit Provided By:
Kassly Mortuary, Ltd.