Theresa (Terry) Malysa, 82, passed away Jan. 15, 2025, in Palos Heights, Illinois.
She was born Theresa Catherine Murray on March 7, 1942, at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, New York, to Suzanne Boyer of Paris, France, and Michael Murray of New York City. Her early years were shaped by a peripatetic lifestyle, moving between war-torn France, where her mother’s family lived, and New York City, where her father grew up. Following World War II, the family settled in Villefranche-sur-Mer on the French Riviera.
Both of her parents passed away at the age of 52—her father in 1949 on her seventh birthday and her mother in 1957—leaving Terry and her brother, Michael (Mike) Murray, orphaned. They moved to the United States and settled in Miami, Florida, where their mother had worked as a nurse. Following her mother’s death, Terry and Mike lived with their Aunt Mary and Uncle John Murray in Parkchester, Bronx, New York. She attended Saint Helena High School, now known as Monsignor Scanlan High School, before earning a YWCA scholarship to the University of Miami, where she graduated from the business school.
In 1963, she married Ken Malysa and moved to the southwest suburbs of Chicago, settling in Palos Heights. She raised two children while later pursuing a law degree at The John Marshall Law School (now the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law). She was admitted to the Illinois State Bar Association and established a family law practice in the southwest suburbs, ultimately basing her career in Orland Park for more than 40 years.
An avid athlete, Terry was a competitive tennis player in the suburban circuit, as well as an enthusiastic biker and cross-country skier. Later, she developed a passion for golf, becoming a longtime member of Crystal Tree Country Club, where she won several club championships and played on the women’s travel golf team for many years.
She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and friend, known for her generosity, boundless energy, and love of travel. She and her longtime partner, J. Rex Bendigkeit, who passed away in 2021, enjoyed exploring the world together. She also had a deep passion for reading and treasured time spent with family and friends.
She is survived by her sons, John Malysa (Susan) and William Malysa; her granddaughters, Ella, Ava, and Julia; and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her partner, J. Rex Bendigkeit, and her brother, Michael Murray, who passed away in 2022.
A private service was held for family and close friends.
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