Catherine Hlavacek

Cathy Hlavacek

Catherine Ann (Cooper) Hlavacek passed away peacefully in her home on July 2, 2022 after a courageous battle with cancer. Cathy was born in Madison, Jan. 19, 1944, and attended grade school at St. Raphael and St. James. She went to Edgewood High School where her favorite class was art. She was the only girl in a family with 4 boys, and, with busy parents, her brother Mark says, “She raised us.”

Along with her brothers, Cathy was a founder of the St. James Players, a theater group that would go on to become Strollers Theater, a fixture in the Madison theater community. She played many roles off the stage–publicity, sound, sets, props, director–and a few on stage as well. One of her favorite memories was acting in a melodrama with all four of her brothers.

She dated Joseph Hlavacek while their fathers were playing softball together: her dad as pitcher and his as catcher. Cathy and Joe were married Sept. 19, 1964, and together they had three children, Kim, Joseph, Jr., and Michael. Taking care of others was a big part of Cathy’s life–her own three children, of course, but also nieces and nephews and neighbor children.

Cathy reentered the paid workforce at Randall Bank, which is now Associated Bank, where she held many different positions from teller to auditor.

She was an enthusiastic “hockey mom” for both her sons’ teams. She even played on the moms’ team, the “Southside Sissies,” with sister-in-law, Jan (and sometimes her daughter). The team was coached by her brother, Denny. She played goalie. She would say, “That’s what happens when your kid has the goalie pads!”

Though she lived her entire life in Madison, she also ventured out on various road trips with Denny and Jan, and on international trips to Japan, Italy, and Ireland with a whole slew of Coopers and Kennedy cousins. Her love of books was shared by her brothers and their wives and nieces and nephew in the "Snack-n-Yak" book club. She also enjoyed playing the slots at Ho Chunk Casino, especially with her parents, Leo and Emma, sister-in-law, Jean Anne, and son, Mike.

Cathy’s favorite week of the year was the time she spent in Star Lake, Wisconsin with her children and grandchildren, her brothers and their wives and families, as well as Jean Anne and her spouse Jimmy. Cathy loved the sound of loons on the lake and a peaceful paddle out to Eagle Island, a good game of 500 and a collective attempt to complete crossword puzzles. And since the Lake of the Torches Casino was nearby, an annual visit was in order. Perhaps most of all, Cathy loved being a grandmother and would drop everything to babysit and spend time with her grandkids whenever she had the chance.

Cathy faced cancer with strength and courage and spunk.

She is survived by her children, Michael Hlavacek, Joseph Hlavacek, Jr. and Kimberly (Hlavacek) Suhr, her son-in-law Robert Suhr, her brothers Mark Cooper and Leo Cooper, her sisters-in-law Jean Anne Hlavacek, Janis Cooper, Joan Babcock-Cooper, and Susan Cooper, brother-in-law Steve Hlavacek, and her grandchildren, Ellen Suhr, Shelby Suhr, Brody Hlavacek, and Emma Hlavacek as well as many nieces and nephews and their children.

Cathy is preceded in death by her parents, Emma (Kennedy) Cooper and Leo Cooper, Jr., her brothers, Dennis Cooper and Joseph Cooper, her sister-in-law, Lee Ann Cooper, her niece, Jennifer Cooper-Herndon, and her former husband, Joe Hlavacek, Sr.

The family would like to thank all those who reached out with kind words, notes of support, prayers, and love during Cathy’s illness.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations be sent to the American Cancer Society ( https://donate3.cancer.org/?campaign=default&lang=en%20&_ga=2.149835893.2134304605.1657307465-1867716535.1657307465 )  or the Alzheimer’s Association ( https://www.alz.org/wi?form=alz_donate )in Cathy’s name.

Celebration of Catherine’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, July 15, 2022 at Cress Funeral Service, 3610 Speedway Rd., Madison, WI., Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until the time of services.

Here is a link to signup for the live stream of the service. https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=5e1aaebd-4091-4d3b-ac77-f5a08d003d54

Cress Funeral Service

3610 Speedway Rd.

Madison, WI 53705

608-238-3434