Tessa Stiner

Tessa Louise Stiner was born on November 10th, 2021.  Tessa Louise was named after two of her great grandmothers: Thelma Stiner and Mary Louise Hunter, in hopes that she would carry their legacy of love and generosity.  Her arrival was difficult and doctors advised her parents that she would probably never wake up from a coma.  Every moment of her life was a miracle and a testament to God’s grace: her first hiccups, when she wrapped her little hand around her parents’ fingers, when she opened her eyes, nothing was taken for granted, everything was celebrated.

Tessa came home on December 20th, 2021 and was immediately wrapped in the love of her siblings who had waited so long to meet her.  Tessa grew stronger and reached inch-stones and milestones that were beyond what had been predicted for her.  She loved to be held and her family took every opportunity to snuggle her.  Tessa enjoyed being outside while her brother and sister played.  She loved listening to stories and songs, she thrived in therapy under the gentle hands of her therapists.  Tessa died on March 26th, 2022 wrapped in the loving embrace of her parents.

In her short life, Tessa connected people all around the world, people of different faiths and no faith at all, in love and support; for the outpouring of kindness that surrounded her short life her parents will always be thankful.  Tessa is survived by her parents, Justin and Erika, her siblings, Blaine and Elise, grandparents Timothy and Mandy Barker and Brian and Linnea Dunn, and aunts, D’Ann Barker and Sarah Dunn, great grandparents, extended family, and a community who loved her dearly.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate Tessa’s life on Saturday, April 16th at 9:30am at University Presbyterian Church, 300 Bushnell Ave. San Antonio, TX.  If you cannot join us in person, the service will be live streamed from University Presbyterian Church’s YouTube channel.

A memorial fund has been set up in Tessa’s honor at University Presbyterian Church.  You can donate at UPC’s website https://upcsa.org/giving/ and put Tessa’s name in the memo.