Catherine Ledvina

 Catherine (Juley) Ledvina of New Berlin, WI, died June 13, 2025, after a 10-month battle with adrenal cortex cancer. She was 68.

She was born June 15, 1956, in Chicago, Ill.; baptized June 24, 1956, at St. Philomena Catholic Church in Chicago; and moved with her family to Green Bay in 1959. She graduated from St. Patrick’s Grade School in 1970 and St. Joseph Academy high school in 1974. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in human development and psychology and obtained her master’s degree in Communicative Disorders from UW-Eau Claire in 1981.

She began her career as a speech and language pathologist in 1982 with Green Bay Public Schools and spent two years at St. Colleta of Wisconsin in Jefferson, WI, providing speech therapy to its residents before returning to Green Bay Public Schools in 1984.

She met her husband, Tim, at Fairmont Dairy Store in Green Bay, and the two were married June 12, 1987, at St. Norbert Abbey in De Pere, WI. They moved to Milwaukee, where she continued her career at St. Francis Children’s Center and at the Mequon-Thiensville School District before joining the Elmbrook School District in Waukesha County in September 1989. She provided speech therapy to special-needs students at Burleigh Elementary School until her retirement in June 2016.

While in Jefferson, she starred in four performances as Helen Keller in her struggle to see the world despite being blind and deaf in “The Miracle Worker,” produced by the Jefferson Council for the Performing Arts. A review of the play stated, “(Cathy) is brilliant in the part, particularly during the tantrum scenes with her teacher, and her inspired and knowledgeable portrayal peaks in a highly dramatic moment of comprehending all the meaningless words she had been taught.”

During Christmas 2001, a breast cancer awareness pen given to her by her sister-in-law, Nancy Juley, reminded Cathy that she was overdue for a mammogram. Shorly afterward she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer and underwent treatment during 2002. She was declared cancer-free in 2003, prompting her oncologist to call her his miracle patient.

With a second lease on life, she was able to enjoy her greatest gift: raising her two children–Ryan, who was born in 1990, and Sean, born in 1994–and watch them grow into young men. She also continued her side hustle as a singer in a rock band with her brother, Michael, and helped record an album of original music in which she sang lead and harmony vocals. Along the way she parachuted from 14,000 feet with her niece, Lindsay Juley; traveled with Tim to Ireland to enjoy her Irish heritage; and continued to cheer every week for the Green Bay Packers. She also continued her shenanigans with her two longtime best friends and Musketeers, Bonnie Phernetton and Debbie Koval.

In retirement, she began volunteering as a dog walker at the Elmbrook Humane Society starting in February 2017 and adopted her dog, Dixie, in March 2017. She trained Dixie for a couple of years before getting her certified as a therapy dog in October 2019. Cathy and Dixie then joined the “Read to Me” program at Burleigh Elementary School, where students spent time reading to them, and performed many educational programs with Dixie at the Elmbrook Humane Society. Her dog-walking duties at the shelter continued until she was diagnosed with cancer in August 2024.

Survivors include her husband, Tim; two sons, Ryan (Tia) of DeForest, and Sean of De Pere; mother-in-law, Gladys Ledvina of Ashwaubenon; brothers-in-law Tony Ledvina, Randy (Tammy) Ledvina of Green Bay, Rick (Sheryl) Ledvina of Green Bay; sister-in-law Sue (Steve) Hendrikse of Zeeland, MI; brother, Michael (Nancy) Juley of Greendale; goddaughter Lindsay Juley of Minneapolis, MN; nephew Justin (Yelena) Juley of Waunakee; nephews Quinn & Nick Ledvina of Phoenix AZ; nephew Mike Ledvina of Green Bay; niece Stephanie (Russ) Finkler of Green Bay; nephew Nathan (Becca) Hendrikse of Chicago, IL; Christopher Ledvina of Green Bay; Katie (Kory) Baker of Green Bay; Elizabeth (Kadin) Dever of Green Bay.

A private service was held.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Elmbrook Humane Society at https://ebhs.org/donate-form/ or to the Breast Cancer Foundation at  https://bit.ly/44jOLK2.

There will be two “Celebrations of Life” for Cathy

Saturday, July 12, 2025

10:00 AM – 2 :00 PM

5570 South Calhoun Road, New Berlin WI 53151 (across from Trees on the Move)

Dress casually for an indoor or outdoor event.

Sunday, July 20, 2025

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM

The Tap Room @ Titletown Brewing Co.

320 North Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54303

Beverages will be served at each celebration.