Meet Theresa Anzaldua

Background

Theresa Crumpler was born in Cleveland, Ohio, raised in Detroit, Michigan, and graduated from Detroit Country Day School.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree with a double major, in English Literature and Philosophy, and her Master’s Degree in Philosophy, from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

She earned her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she met her future husband.  She practiced law for ten years, working as a corporate litigator in private practice and then as an attorney in the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

For the past several years, Theresa has enjoyed raising her two children, spending time with her husband and two stepchildren and, as her children started school, working as a freelance writer and regular contributor to Seasons Magazines.

Family Life

Theresa’s mother grew up as a U.S. citizen and British subject, having been born in the U.S. to British parents.  The family moved back to Britain during the Great Depression, and after the war broke out in Europe, they lost their home in Birmingham, England when it was destroyed by German bombs.   The family lived for some time in a bomb shelter, as many people did.  At age twenty-one, Theresa’s mother renounced her British citizenship to serve the U.S. in World War II as a WAC.  Theresa’s father, who was born in Ohio, served in the war in the U.S. Navy.  Theresa’s maternal uncle John served in the British Royal Marines Commandos and fought on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day; her maternal uncle Tommy served in the U.S. Army and was killed in a training accident in Texas.  He was deeply mourned by the family. 

"We Had A Job To Do"

This book began with a magazine article.  Theresa wrote about World War II veteran Edwin Holopainen for Seasons Magazine, and Seasons Editor Deborah Geigis Berry had Theresa send the article to Kristopher Perry for a fact check, which he very kindly agreed to do.  Kristopher Perry earned his B.S. degree in Political Science from the U.S. Naval Academy and also holds an M.A. in Military Art and Science in Operational Planning and a Graduate Certificate in Adult Learning from the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut.  Kris is a Lieutenant Colonel, Retired, U.S. Air Force, and is a veteran of multiple combat deployments, including Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.   Currently, he works as the Director, Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs at the University of Connecticut.  Kris encouraged Theresa to continue to write about these veterans, met with her, reviewed some of the stories and introduced her to veterans and a veterans group.  His Office of Veterans Affairs and Military Programs at UConn provides great support for a community of about 1,200 veterans.  Kris is also active with VFW Post 594 in Norwich, Connecticut.  Post Commander Bruce Allen, Sr., and the Saturday breakfast group were very helpful with interviews for the book.