Theresa was the daughter of Francis Xavier "Frank" Carey and Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Ninteman. She was married to Paul DeLoss Plummer, and they were the parents of 11 children.

The family lived in Calhoun County, Illinois, but eventually moved to Grafton in Jersey County, Illinois. Paul was a construction worker and commercial fisherman for many years.

At the time of her death at Jersey Community Hospital, Theresa was 91 years, 11 months and 18 days old.

She was survived by 3 sons, Jerome Plummer of St. Louis, Missouri, Tom Plummer of Godfrey, Illinois, and Virgil Plummer of New York, New York; 5 daughters, Mary Dritz of Crete, Illinois, Wilma Klassman of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, Joan Hausmann of Kampsville, Illinois, Donna Longiny of Merrillville, Indiana, and Ernestine Kennington of Godfrey, Illinois; 35 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, Theresa was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, in 1971; 1 son, Frank Plummer; 2 daughters, Dorothy Plummer and Marceline Rende; and her brothers.

Visitation was held from 4 to 9 p.m. on 02 Jul 1987 at Jacoby Brothers Funeral Home in Grafton, Illinois. A rosary was recited at 7 p.m. that evening. A funeral Mass was conducted at 2 p.m. the following afternoon at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Grafton.

Children: 4 sons, 7 daughters.

Mother of:
Jerome Paul Plummer
Dorothy Evelyn Plummer
Mary Margaret Plummer Dritz
Francis Gerald "Frank" Plummer
Marceline E. Plummer Rende
Wilma Plummer Klassman
Thomas Willard Plummer
Virgil Plummer
Joan Alice Plummer Campbell Hausmann
Donna Plummer Saavedra Longiny
Theresa Ernestine Plummer Kennington

Theresa's siblings:
Henry "Hine" Carey
Harmon Paul Carey (twin)
Peter William Carey (twin)
Benjamin James "Ben" Carey

Theresa's half-brothers and half-sister:
John Henry Carey
Theresa Carey (died young)
George Charles Carey
Oswald Carey