Cathleen Conley

Cathleen Wells Conley (58) passed away on February 21, 2019 surrounded by family. She was born on November 11, 1960 in Bogotá, Colombia, the daughter of Hope Demott Wells Conley and Daniel Lincoln Conley. On February 20, 2019 she married her lifelong partner, Gary Severide.

Cathleen grew up in Madison, WI, attending West High and then Carlton College. In her twenties, she moved to her beloved family farm on HWY K in Blue Mounds, WI. Cathleen was a groundbreaking and valued female construction worker for Daniels Construction and was known to outwork many of her male colleagues. Who among us has stood, as she did, on top of the State Capitol along with Lady Wisconsin? Later, in life, as a mature student, Cathleen changed directions and earned straight A's while obtaining an accounting degree at MATC and while also making herself available to work with her younger colleagues, some of whom became close friends. After graduating, she worked in accounting for the University of Wisconsin in the College of Engineering and later at the College of Letters and Science, where she also developed close friendships.

Cathleen was universally known for her generosity of spirit, her tender caregiving of others, her green thumb in her vegetable and flower gardens, her poetic nature and her spunk. She loved animals, big and small. According to her husband, "She couldn't kill a fly in the house." She had an uncanny ability to make you laugh and cry in the same conversation. Most of all, to know her was to feel loved and cared for by her.

Cathleen is survived by her husband Gary Severide, her sisters Molly McIntosh (David Brookshire) of Albuquerque, NM, Hope (Cindy) McNown (William) of Covington, VA, and Gale McIntosh of Half Moon Bay, CA, as well as her brothers Brooke (Kip) McIntosh (Rebecca) of Acton, CA and Daniel Conley (Alessandra Conversi) of Plymouth, United Kingdom. Cathleen was a very popular aunt ("almost like a sister") to Brendan Ludwick (Ashley), Aaron Brookshire (Allyson Tapie), Neil Brookshire (Cassandra Bissell), Treva Morath (Christian), Andrew McNown, Suki Pierce, Patrick McNown (Amber), Elliot Pierce (Regan), Rachel McIntosh, Robert McNown (Laura), Jessica McIntosh, Morgan McIntosh, Amira Conley-Conversi, and Kaila Conley-Conversi. She also left 4 great-nephews: Zachary Pierce, Sagan Morath, Eason Morath and Griffin Ludwick and 3 great-nieces: Emery Ludwick, Aria McNown and Naomi Pierce. Cathleen will also be missed by many friends and by her large extended family

We will hold a celebration of Cathleen's life in the early summer of 2019 at date yet to be determined. Those who care to join the family at the celebration should notify Daniel Conley at dconley@alum.mit.edu.

Please share your memories on the tributes tab. (Funny stories are welcome too!)

The family would like to thank the UW Carbone Cancer Center and Agrace Hospice for their painstaking care of Cathleen. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Agrace at www.agrace.org , or in the alternative, Cathleen, in her inimitable way, would love for you to buy a friend a morning bun.

Cress Funeral and Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Rd, Madison
608-238-3434