Theresa Marie Cariello

Service Details

There will be a Celebration of both Theresa’s and Rudy’s lives later in the summer.

Theresa Marie Cariello, 95, passed away in hospice at Grand Prairie, Kenosha, on April 24, 2026.  She was born in Racine on September 4, 1930, to the late Joseph Sr. and Barbara (née: Zelei Arvai).

Theresa was an avid gardener and liked nothing better than to spend the day canning the produce from her vegetable garden and sharing the bounty with her neighbors. She was still making fruit jams with her daughter up until this year. Going to an apple orchard or strawberry farm was a particular favorite outing. Her flower gardens bloomed from early spring to late fall with a variety of gorgeous plants. She was also a skilled seamstress and enjoyed crocheting, knitting, a good mystery book, jigsaw puzzles, and traveling and vacationing with good friends. She was Den Mother to both of her sons’ Cub Scout pack, taking the boys on a variety of fun field trips.

She was married on July 15, 1950, to Rudy Cariello Sr. Surviving are her children, Rudy Cariello Jr of Caledonia, Steve (Carol) Cariello of Irvins, UT, Theresa Cariello of Mount Pleasant, and grandchildren, Laura (Rob) Tyree of Indianapolis, IN, and Alison Cariello of La Paz, Mexico, and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 69 years, Rudy, daughter-in-law Harriet, three sisters, Barbara (Paul) Kriston, Margaret (Jack) Boetcher, Anna Arvai, and two brothers, Joseph II (Madeline), and Stephen (Phyllis) Arvai. She was the last in her generation on both her and Rudy’s family.

She worked as a bookkeeper for Open Pantry Food Marts corporate office and retired from Machine and Factory Supply. She enjoyed her job, working into her 70’s.

There will be a Celebration of both Theresa’s and Rudy’s lives later in the summer.