Obituary — Theresa M. Behdjet, Dec. 23, 1968 – June 9, 2022
(July 13, 2022) — Theresa Michele Behdjet died peacefully at home on June 9, 2022, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. Her family was at her side, along with her dog Max.
Theresa was born in Tarrytown, N.Y. After living in Oregon, she came to California in 1981. She attended Pine Hollow Middle School and Clayton Valley High School and graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a bachelor of science in industrial engineering.
She subsequently returned to school to pursue her creative passion and earned an associate of arts degree in textile design from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. Theresa showed great courage making a mid-career shift to the textile industry and loved her work in the field of interior design.
Theresa had many interests, including travel, hiking, skiing, the arts and live music. She enjoyed family vacations in Hawaii, Mexico, Sunriver and Lake Tahoe and was an avid traveler both in the United States and abroad. Her adventures included hiking the trail to Machu Picchu, Peru, the Camino de Santiago in Spain and trekking Chamonix in France. She loved attending performances ranging from theater to the San Francisco Symphony to outdoor music festivals. Theresa had a flair for fashion and a discerning eye, passionately exploring museums and art galleries.
Theresa prioritized volunteering throughout her life. She served as a board member for Create Fixate in Los Angeles, an event and production manager for the Shanti Project in San Francisco and most recently as a board member for the San Jose Museum of Quilt and Textiles.
Theresa was loyal to everyone in her life – friends and family alike. She was thoughtful with a generous heart, always ready to help whenever needed.
Theresa is survived by her mother Mariana Behdjet, her brother Andrei and nieces Zoe and Alexa. She will be dearly missed by her family, her many friends and everybody who knew her. Theresa will be loved forever.
The family request that in lieu of flowers, donations be directed to the Shanti Project and the San Jose Museum of Quilt and Textiles in Theresa’s name.