KURE BEACH — Teresa Ann Thomas of Kure Beach, North Carolina, passed away on September 4, 2026.
Terri was the daughter of Barbara Mollo and Joseph Ingrassia. She was born October 16, 1961, on a U.S. army base in Orléans, France where her father was stationed. She is survived by her mother and father, her mother-in-law Kiriaki Thomas (Yaya), her husband Ted, her sons Jake Anthony and Michael Andrew, and her siblings Donna Polito, Joey-Danielle Smalling, Matthew Todd Ingrassia, and Corinne Patricia McCoy.
Terri married Ted Thomas on November 27, 1991, in Hicksville, New York. Their relationship began with a chance meeting while watching a New York Giants game, when Ted commented on the impropriety of putting ketchup on a hot dog. Unsurprisingly, Terri stood her ground. Their first date was skiing at Camelback Mountain in Pennsylvania, beginning a 35-year marriage filled with love, laughter, adventure, and friendship. Together they lived in Bethpage, Long Island, before moving to Apex, North Carolina, with their two children and Yaya. As empty nesters, they would later move to Kure Beach, North Carolina.
Terri was the love of Ted’s life and his best friend. They shared the joys, challenges, adventures, laughter, and ordinary moments that make a life together. Through every chapter of their lives, they remained partners, best friends, and each other’s greatest source of love and strength.
One of her final great joys was seeing Michael become engaged to Hailey Gorman, a moment that brought her tremendous happiness and pride knowing she gained a daughter.
Terri shared an incredible bond with her younger sister, Donna. She was Donna’s protector, confidante, food advisor, decorator, and, above all, her best friend. Their bond was filled with love, laughter, advice, and a lifetime of shared memories.
Terri was funny, outgoing, creative, generous, caring, and genuine. She loved to travel almost as much as she loved making scrapbooks about it afterwards. She loved holidays almost as much as she loved decorating for them. She was never afraid to speak her mind. She loved her dogs dearly. She could turn a meal into an occasion, gathering into a party, and strangers into friends.
A dedicated advocate, Terri devoted much of her life to helping children with special needs to get the accommodations they needed to flourish. She helped parents navigate the complexities of special education and spoke tirelessly for children who needed a voice. A life with its own trials and obstacles that could break some instead instilled in Terri a fierce sense of justice for the underdog and empathy for the downtrodden. Those values extended to her two children in pursuing their own paths to happiness and success.
Terri faced her eight-year cancer journey with extraordinary courage and tenacity. The medical knowledge she gained became another way she helped others, as she shared information and supported people navigating their own cancer journeys. Long after the time statistics predicted she would have passed, she was still hosting parties, making Mediterranean food, and singing. Her body never dulled her spirit.
Terri touched countless lives and was loved and admired by those who knew her. Her kindness, humor, generosity, fierce advocacy for others, and love of life will live on in the people she helped and the memories she created.
Near the end of her journey, Terri said:
“Just know I am not going away; I am just going ahead.”
Teresa will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten.
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The family will receive friends from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. on Friday, September 11, 2026 at Coble Funeral & Cremation Service, 1155 Shipyard Blvd., Wilmington, NC 28412. A Funeral Service will follow from 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 pm. with a lunch for family and friends to follow.
Entombment will follow at Oleander Memorial Gardens, 316 Bradley Creek Drive, Wilmington at 2:30 p.m.
Please call 910-791-4444 for any questions or directions.
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In lieu of flowers, the family warmly invites you to make a memorial donation in honor of Teresa Thomas to Family Support Network of Southeastern North Carolina. The organization provides free support, resources, and advocacy to families of children with disabilities.
To make a donation, please visit familysupportsenc.org and select the PayPal donation option. When submitting your gift, please enter “In Memory of Teresa Thomas” in the PayPal note so it can be identified as a memorial donation.
