Maria Theresia “Theresia” Thys Forgey, 82, passed away peacefully at home in Granby, Missouri, on August 29, 2026, with her husband and daughter by her side. Theresia was born September 22, 1943, in Keerbergen, Belgium, to Maria Bertha Verschoren Thys and Victor Thys. She attended the Ursuline Institute in Brussels, a Catholic boarding school for girls, where she became fluent in English and French in addition to her native Flemish. Her love of language and culture continued throughout her life as she later learned Spanish, studied Russian, and spent time in Mexico and Russia in immersive language experiences. Following in the footsteps of her mother, who owned the family salon, Theresia became a hairdresser. She moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for a two-year contract at Dorothyʼs Salon, where she intended to improve her English. While living at the Frisco Apartments, she met her future husband, Ronald Leo Forgey, at a Christmas gathering in the community clubroom. They were married on November 18, 1967, at Holy Family Cathedral in Tulsa. After Tulsa, Theresia and Ron moved to Shreveport, Louisiana, where Ron began his career as an air traffic controller and their daughter, Ashley, was born in 1972. They later followed Ronʼs FAA career through Dallas–Fort Worth in 1973, Midland in 1975, Lubbock in 1976, and Houston in 1978. In Houston, Ron served as a supervisor at Houston Intercontinental Airport. During those years, Theresia embraced Houstonʼs international spirit, arts, culture, and food, and she formed lifelong friendships. She loved museums, art, and film festivals, and sharing creative experiences with Ashley, including art classes at the Glassell School of Art. Within their neighborhood of Ponderosa, Theresia was deeply involved in helping design the park playground and helping create a nature trail where elementary school and neighborhood children could learn about native plants. “She participated in book clubs and embraced the joyful duties of a soccer mom and a member of Mercer Arboretum. During her years with KLM from 1988 to 1993, she and her family traveled frequently throughout Central America and Europe. After retiring from the FAA, Ron joined his brother's business, Jim Woods Marketing in Treece, KS. In 1993, Theresia and Ron made their home in Granby, Missouri. She studied languages and pottery at Missouri Southern State University and gave generously to community life through the East Newton Lions Club, Missouri FCE Merry Makers, Old Mining Town Days, the Lions Club hearing van, the community 5K run, and Head Start. She continued to garden, took pottery classes, swam in the creek, and watched the wildlife around their country home. Later, Theresia spent extended time in Las Vegas to be close to her grandchildren, Andrew and Audrey, becoming an essential part of their everyday lives. She took them to school, cooked their favorite foods, showed them how to grow things even in the desert, and delighted them with creative toys and play. She and Ron treasured time with their grandchildren, explored the American Southwest, and returned to Missouri when school was not in session. Theresia is survived by her husband, Ronald Leo Forgey; her daughter, Ashley Forgey Stroud, and her husband, David Stroud; her grandchildren, Andrew Stroud and Audrey Stroud; her sister, Veronica Thys Budts, and her husband, Rudi Budts; and many great-nieces, great-nephews, and extended family, along with loved ones in Belgium. She was preceded in death by her parents, Maria Bertha Verschoren Thys and Victor Thys; her brother, Jos Thys; her sister-in-law, Lourdes Doncos Thys; and brother-in-law, Jim Woods. Celebrations of Theresia's life will be held with family and friends in Missouri, Las Vegas, and Belgium. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Theresia's memory to the Sjogren's Foundation at sjogrens.org, honoring her experience with the illness she faced near the end of her life.