Catherine M. Klemballa

Catherine Klemballa was born in 1943 in Manhattan, and was raised in Park Slope, Brooklyn. After high school, she attended college at St. Joseph’s University and got her degree in Child Studies and Mathematics. She was a strong advocate for education and set up a scholarship fund at St. Joseph’s to fully fund a student through school to help them earn a degree. She taught ESL and Math for 19 years in various elementary schools and got an MS in Remedial Reading.

In her personal life, she adopted a daughter from Catholic Charities and lived in Monticello, NY for several years before moving back to Park Slope to raise her daughter as a single parent, providing her child with all of the opportunities she could. She married Raymond Hadrick in 1984 and they spent many happy years traveling the world, eating, and ultimately, they fell in love with Paris and spent time there every year.

After taking a single computer class while teaching, she decided that her true passion lay in that field of work. She got a degree in computer programming at NYU. Then, she began working at Columbia University as a computer programmer, and worked her way up to become a registered broker and an Executive Director of IT at Morgan Stanley, overseeing over one hundred employees.

She was a 9/11 hero, ignoring the announcements that told everyone to stay in the office. Cathy gathered her colleagues, and helped lead everyone to safety. She saved countless lives that fateful day.

Around 2011, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Though this slowly began to hinder her movements and mobility, she fought it every step of the way. She continued doing everything she loved most with her husband—reading, knitting, going to museums, concerts, the ballet, visiting the Botanical Gardens, and having picnics in Prospect Park. She had many dear, lifelong friends whom she loved to spend time with doing her favorite activities.

As her disease progressed, she needed more and more assistance, but never gave up and pushed through countless obstacles.

She passed away on May 29th and is survived by her beloved and devoted husband, Ray, her daughter, Lisa Kundreskas, and her grandchildren, Sophia and Grayson Suarez.

Catherine was generous and kind, and strove to help her family in any way possible to make their lives better. She will be missed by many, and was loved and respected by all who had the honor of knowing her. May she rest in peace.

The family had expressed that at a later date, they will host a celebration of life for their beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. In lieu of flowers, donations are kindly to be made to St. Joseph’s University. Through the donation page below, please select the Catherine Klemballa ‘65 Endowed Merit Scholarship from the “I Want to Support” designation options found in the box just under “gift amount.” Gifts made in her memory will help continue her legacy by supporting future St. Joseph’s students for years to come.