Teressa Marie Thigpen Colburn, 82, of Moundville, passed away July 11, 2024 at DCH Regional Medical Center. Services will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at 1:00 pm at Providence Baptist Church in Gallion with Pastor Tom Strickland officiating and Magnolia Chapel South directing. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 20, 2024 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at the church.
She is preceded in death by her parents; Iverson Hoover Thigpen and Bessie Marie (Duke) Thigpen, grandmother; Effie Marie (Mason) Duke, brother; Ira Maynard Thigpen, sister; Vivian Lee (Thipen) Whitfield.
Teressa Marie Thigpen Colburn was born on Wednesday, February 4, 1942, to Iverson Hoover Thigpen and Bessie Marie Duke Thigpen. Teressa was the oldest of three children; her siblings were Ira Maynard Thigpen and Vivian Lee Thigpen Whitfield. She grew up on a dairy farm in Gallion, Alabama and attended Demopolis High School in Demopolis, Alabama. She was married to Dellie Martin Colburn Jr. in March of 1961 and resided in Marion, Alabama until their divorce in 2005, at which time she relocated to Greensboro, Alabama. Together they had six children including, Dana Robin Colburn Cooper, Guy Martin Colburn, Abby Estelle Colburn Clements, Marty Le Anne Colburn Aultman, Terry Marie Colburn Nixon, and Perry Lyn Colburn.
Teressa led a full life, worked hard, and devoted her life to providing for her family. As a teenager, she began working alongside her mother as a seamstress at Vanity Fair in Demopolis, Alabama. After marrying in 1961 and while managing a household of eight, she continued to work full-time in the garment industry for over 40 years at Vanity Fair, Greensboro Manufacturing, and Greensboro Apparel. During this time, she simultaneously served as the accountant and store manager at each of their family stores, Colburn’s West End Grocery in Greensboro, Colburn’s Grocery in Faunsdale, and Grandpa’s Grocery in Marion, Alabama. During this time, she also spent countless midnight hours sewing and creating garments for her family, canning, cooking, and caring for her children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren.
At the age of 62, Teressa scored among the highest scores of her cohort on the placement test at Shelton State Community College. While attending Shelton State as a non-traditional student, Teressa inspired many younger students to strive harder by proving it is never too late to accomplish their goals. Earning her Associate in Applied Science degree in Office Administration- Information Processing, she graduated at the top of her class with honors in May of 2006.
Immediately after graduating from Shelton, she gained employment at Morrow Realty, where she managed the office and day-to-day operations of Carriage Hills Apartments in Greensboro, Alabama as well as interim manager at other company-owned properties when needed. She continued to manage over 90 units for the next 14 1/2 years until her retirement at the age of 78. After retirement, Teressa relocated to Moundville, Alabama where she lived her remaining years happily spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Teressa positively touched the life of everyone she met. She had a huge heart and an infectious light of life that everyone could see in her eyes. Her devotion, faith, and love for God and her family were infinite. Teressa not only had 6 children, 15 grandchildren, and 28 great-grandchildren, but she was also a mother and nanny to so many others. She was and is an inspiration to all who knew her.
Survivors include daughters; Robin Cooper, Abby Clements (James), Marty Aultman (Eddie), Terry Nixon (Mike), sons; Guy Colburn (Ellen), and Perry Colburn (Sabrina), grandchildren; Toney Cooper (Samantha), Crystal Allison (Mike), Elizabeth Boyette (David), Guy Martin Colburn, Jr. (Brianne), Marie Davis (Kevin), Wendy Kizziah (Josh), Christopher Melton (Brandee), Lewis Aultman, Hannah Nixon, Matthew Nixon (Kayla), Violet Colburn, Tyler Colburn, Christian Colburn, Brittany Toews (Benji), Walt Drake (Fran), 28 great grandchildren, 8 nieces and nephews and a host of family and friends who loved her deeply.
Pallbearers will be Christopher Melton, Lewis Aultman, Gavin Mitchell, Gage Mitchell, Matthew Nixon, and Tyler Colburn. Honorary pallbearers will be Eddie Aultman, James Clements, Mike Nixon, Kevin Davis, Josh Kizziah, Toney Cooper, Guy Martin Colburn, Jr., Walt Drake, Chandler Swisher, Brayden Swisher, Jaysen Swisher, Tom Whitfield, Tommy Whitfield, David Whitfield, Paul Whitfield, Robert Watts, and the staff of DCH MICU3.
