Therese was born on November 1, 1955 to Lawrence Richard McCarthy and Mary Alice (Murphy) McCarthy at St. Mary's Hospital in North Platte. She attended McDaid Elementary and St. Patrick's High School, graduating in 1974.

After graduation, she attended the College of St. Mary in Omaha and received a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education in 1978. Most of her 42 year career as a teacher was spent working with generations of families at McDaid Elementary. She was a passionate teacher who dedicated her life to fostering Catholic education. Her colleagues in the North Platte Catholic Schools community were life-long friends and treated like extended family.

On November 29, 1980, Therese married Michael John Garth at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in North Platte.

Therese was a generous woman who welcomed a house full of family and friends spending summers and holidays entertaining. Therese enjoyed travel and was fortunate to be able to travel the World singing in Moscow, attending a Papal audience with Saint Pope John Paul II, and many other fun adventures. She was a fan of St. Patrick's athletics and fine arts. She had an uncanny ability to create winning March Madness brackets and is currently the reigning champion. She was able to form meaningful relationships everywhere she went and in her last few years the Callahan Cancer Center became a place where she was excited to see her new best friends and be assured that she was in good care. Most of all, Therese's greatest joy was being a mom and grandmother.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Paul McCarthy, and unborn daughter Annie Garth.

She is survived by her husband and three children, Dr. Timothy (Michelle) Garth of Kearney, Katherine Garth of Omaha, and Daniel Garth of St. Louis, Missouri; her grandson Oliver Garth of Kearney; her siblings, Margaret Mary (Ray) Cunningham of Florissant, Missouri, Sharon (Carl) Hassler of Arroyo Grande, California, Robert (Deb) McCarthy of North Platte, Patrick McCarthy of Fort Worth, Texas, and Joseph (Kim) McCarthy of Fort Worth, Texas; her in-laws Emma McCarthy of Grover Beach, California, Rosemary Garth of Indianapolis, Indiana, Rita (Pat) McGrath of Farmington, New Mexico, Teresa Gutierrez of Overland Park, Kansas, Ann Garth of Overland Park, Kansas, and Thomas (Carole) Garth of Kansas City, Missouri; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces, and grand nephews.

Memorials are suggested to the North Platte Catholic Schools Endowment or Callahan Cancer Center. Online condolences may be shared at adamsswanson.com .

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 16, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church with the Rev. R.L. Piontkowski and Rev. Josh Brown as concelebrants. Burial will follow at Floral Lawns Cemetery. Christian wake will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 15, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church. A celebration of life will occur at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, at Best Western of North Platte. We ask all guests to wear face coverings and observe personal distancing at events.

Adams and Swanson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.