Teresa "Teri" Carey

When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.

Obituary

We're saddened to share that Teresa (Teri) Lynn (Osterkamp) Carey, 64, passed away in her beautiful home surrounded by family, from complications of ovarian cancer.

Teri was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and lived in many places throughout her life. Her family moved for her father’s job with the Department of Agriculture to New Orleans, Louisiana, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and Manassas, Virginia, where she started high school at Stonewall Jackson High School. The family made their final move together and settled in Olathe, Kansas, where she graduated high school from Blue Valley High School in 1981. Teri received her degree in Human Resources from Ottawa University in 1998. 

Most of Teri’s formal employment was in banking and insurance. She met her husband, Mike, through one of those jobs, and the two married in 1989 in Kansas. By far, Teri’s favorite role in life was being a mom and caretaker. She spent most of her daughter Emily's childhood as a stay-at-home parent, and also taking care of other family members, both in illness and when they needed a safe place to land.

After 25+ years in Kansas, Teri moved with Mike and Emily to Union, Kentucky for Mike's work. The move to Union also brought them closer to Cincinnati, which had always served as a home base for Teri's family during her father's career. The move gave her the opportunity to spend more time with her Uncle Dan (her dad’s identical twin) in his final years of life. Teri and Mike later moved for Mike’s work to Bartlett, Illinois, and finally settled in Plymouth, Minnesota in 2013, where they spent the last several years in retirement. Teri enjoyed sharing views of her coffee mug of the day, her backyard and garden, and the swans that returned to the pond behind her house every year.

Teri will be remembered for many things: her radiant smile and laugh; her kind and caring heart; her ability to make a beautiful home and tend to an ever-blooming garden; and her dedication to fighting for what is right.

Teri is survived by her husband and daughter; her mother, siblings, and nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her father and uncle, and her beloved dogs, Ziggy and Louie.

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Memory wall

May 26, 2026

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Miss you dear friend…

Kathleen Cooper

May 26, 2026

1

We met working at Schneiderman’s and became friends right away, and stayed friends till the end! I miss your smile and laugh, our coffee times and talks! You were such a positive influence and I miss hearing your voice, and seeing your beautiful face, every day!

Cheryl Gummerson

May 3, 2026

4

friends for life

Katherine Ward

May 1, 2026

2

I went to high school with Teri. We re-connected when we both got cancer. We were a lot of support for each other. We named ourselves the Bit** Warriors! We would chat and try to think up ways to fight this cancer! Teri, i miss you and your encouragement. I can still hear you telling me to fight! You were always a happy person, even through this ugly disease. Rip my friend.

Donna Moton

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