Catherine Helen Suchla

Catherine Helen Suchla (Speltz), age 83, of Mount Pleasant, passed away Thursday, December 16, 2021. She was born in Rollingstone, Minnesota, on March 12, 1938, to the late Gerald and Helen (Arnoldy) Speltz. She grew up the fourth of nine children in rural Minnesota after which time she become a licensed practical nurse. After meeting her future husband at a party on his family’s farm, she married Germane M. Suchla on September 3, 1960. They went on to settle in Racine where they raised their four children and spent more than 61 happy and fruitful years together.

Cathy was an active member of St. Rita Catholic Parish for over 55 years where she was a Third Order Augustinian, Eucharistic Minister, and maintained the lending library of religious books. She also volunteered at the Racine Marian Center for 25 years. A very talented artisan, she was known for her beautiful quilts and basketry. Cathy was an excellent gardener and had exquisite taste in clothing and home decorating. She played golf, bridge, cribbage, and pinochle as well. Cathy and Germane enjoyed traveling with family to such places as Europe and Alaska, vacationing in Florida during the winter, and spending time with their children in New York, California, the South, and Northern Wisconsin. Cathy also went to Medjugorje, but her favorite place to visit was her beloved Minnesota. She was devoted to saying the Rosary with her sisters over the phone. An excellent hostess, she could quickly pull a meal together for eight people with barely anything in the fridge. Her best moments by far were those spent with family, particularly her cherished grandchildren.

Mom is very dearly missed by her children, 10 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. She is survived by daughter Mary (Bill) Werbaneth of Long Valley, New Jersey, grandsons Nicholas and Alexander; son Thomas (Ann) of Lac du Flambeau, grandchildren Patrick, Anthony (fiancé Brittany Manning), Joseph, and Emma; son John (Lori) of Mount Pleasant, grandsons Jacob (fiancé Emily Zeman), Andrew (Lauren) and great-granddaughter Charlotte; and daughter Anne (Timothy) Jordan of Chula Vista, California, grandchildren Sophia and Timothy. She is further survived by her siblings and their spouses: Carol Meirick; Dennis (Kathy) Speltz; Mary Beth (Gerald) Pieper; Deborah (Vincent) Pulles; Carmen (Alan) Bertelsen; and sister-in-laws Elizabeth Speltz Magnuson and Janet Speltz. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her in-laws Ignatius and Veronica Suchla; brothers Gerald Speltz and Alan Speltz; sister Rita Ebert and her husband Jerome; and brother-in-law George Meirick.

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Catherine’s life will be held Tuesday, December 21, 2021, 11:00 AM at St. Rita Catholic Church, 4339 Douglas Ave., with Rev. Michael Petersen officiating. Interment will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Hwy. 32. Relatives and friends are welcome to meet with the family for Visitation, Tuesday at 10:00 AM until time of Mass at the church. Memorials to St. Rita Catholic Church have been suggested.

The funeral will be live streamed and may be viewed by going to the funeral home website, select Catherine’s page, select service and then select livestream.