Cathryne Lee Woltz Lempa, 81, left our world for a heavenly existence on April 8th, 2025. She was born on September 29, 1943, to Clifton Wesley and Mary Ellen Thompson Woltz in Morehead City, North Carolina, where Clifton was attending training at the local naval base. They remained there until Cathy’s father returned from WWII and in 1945, Cathy and her parents returned to Bucyrus, Ohio, where her brother, Tom was born. The following year, her father accepted a position with Cooper-Bessemer Company in Mount Vernon, Ohio and the family moved there in 1948. Soon thereafter the family welcomed Cathy’s brother, Jim. Clifton was then offered a promotion which brought the family to Dallas, where Cathy began first grade at University Park Elementary School.
At the peak of the polio epidemic, nine-year-old Cathy was diagnosed with the condition, which affected the major muscle groups, causing paralysis in many children and adults. She bravely endured surgery, numerous treatments, physical therapy, leg braces, and crutches. Polio affected her for the rest of her life, but she never let it define her. She completed her first year of high school in Dallas, then the family followed her father’s job this time to Shreveport. Cathy graduated from C. E. Byrd High School in 1962, then attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, where she was an active member of Phi Mu Sorority. She would remain active in Panhellenic for decades to come.
Her early work life centered around social services in various cities in south Louisiana and Texas. In the mid-60’s, she moved to the Houston area, where she met B.J. Lempa, Jr., an engineering student at the University of Houston. They married on August 15, 1970. His job as a civil structural engineer would bring them to various parts of Louisiana and Texas, but they would spend the majority of their married life residing in Lumberton, north of Beaumont.
Their first daughter Aimee was born in 1975, then the couple welcomed Kelly in 1977. After the birth of her children, Cathy became a devoted homemaker. She was always involved in her girls’ activities, serving as a leader in school PTAs, chaperoning church youth group, and organizing and hosting countless beach outings with their friends during high school. Many affectionately referred to her as the “Cool Mom”, which she considered the ultimate compliment. Later she became a proud Aggie mom and recently, a proud Aggie grandmother. She enjoyed serving in leadership roles in the Beaumont Aggie Mom’s Club when her daughters attended Texas A&M University.
She was an incredibly talented quilter, spending decades as an active member of the Austin Area Quilt Guild, the Golden Triangle Quilt Guild and the Victoria Quilt Guild. Her beautiful quilts, which are true works of art, won many awards at quilt shows all over Texas and beyond. Cathy forged many lifelong friendships through her quilting adventures. Her legacy lives on in these precious treasures.
Always an animal lover, Cathy also developed a passion for pet therapy. She spent several years visiting nursing homes, hospitals, libraries, churches, and schools with her beloved dog Gypsy. Cathy also helped train other therapy dogs and handlers through Paws 4 Love – Southeast Texas.
Throughout her life, she was a devoted Methodist and enjoyed fellowship and friendship with many she met through church.
She was very sociable and made friends everywhere she went. She never left home without wearing lipstick and always had a cheerful smile and an upbeat attitude.
Even though Cathy had many health struggles toward the end of her life, she never lost her positive outlook! She cherished her four grandchildren and enjoyed hosting them for “Grammy Camp” in the summers as they grew up.
She is survived by her children, Aimee Lempa Hardin of Dallas, Kelly Lempa Balfour and husband, Todd of League City; grandchildren, Jackson and Julian Hardin, Kendall and Kamryn Balfour; brothers, Tom (Heather) Woltz and Jim (Lucy) Woltz; mother-in-law, Helen Lempa; sister-in-law, Dorothy Dearing; brothers-in-law, Michael (Debbie) Lempa, Leonard Lempa, and Thomas (Sharon) Lempa, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Bernard John Lempa, Jr.; parents, Clifton and Mary Ellen Woltz; aunts, Betty (Dick) Weiser, Barbara (John) Stauffer and Jane (James) Offtermatt; and father-in-law, B.J. Lempa, Sr.
A memorial service will be held in her honor on Saturday, May 10th, 2025, 12:00 PM at John Wesley Methodist Church in Victoria, Texas. Immediately following, there will be a reception at the church and then a graveside burial next to her husband at Hillside Cemetery in Cuero, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to an animal charity of your choice, since Cathy was a life-long pet lover.