In Loving Memory of Kelly Mlsna

Kelly Mlsna, age 50, of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away on August 21, 2026, after a courageous 5½-year battle with cancer. Throughout those years, Kelly faced every challenge with fierce determination, remarkable optimism, and an unwavering commitment to her family. Kelly’s story was never defined by cancer. Her life was defined by the people she loved, the things she created, and the many lives she touched along the way.

Kelly was born in Menomonie, Wisconsin, to Eugene Schroeder and Kathleen Schroeder. She grew up largely in Wisconsin and graduated from high school in Cashton, Wisconsin. She went on to attend the University of Wisconsin, where she became a very proud Badger. Her love for UW and the Badgers remained an important part of her family.

Kelly was an amazing mother to her son, Jacob, and daughter, Hannah, and a devoted wife to her husband, Jason. Her family was at the center of her world, and she poured her heart, energy, and creativity into creating a wonderful life for them. She was a source of strength, encouragement, laughter, and unconditional love, and her children will carry the lessons and love she gave them.

Kelly built an accomplished career in advertising spanning more than 20 years. Her natural creativity, organizational skills, and ability to bring ideas to life eventually led her to take an exciting leap and start her own design business, Cake and Jelly Design.

Through Cake and Jelly Design, Kelly was able to combine her creative talents with her exceptional project management skills. She worked on countless projects for friends, family, and clients, always bringing her unique combination of creativity, energy, professionalism, and care to everything she touched. For Kelly, a project was never simply a job—it was an opportunity to create something meaningful and to help someone else bring their vision to life.

Kelly was also a wonderful friend. She had a gift for making people feel valued and for building genuine connections with the people around her. Her generosity, enthusiasm, creativity, and optimism left an impression on so many people. Even during the most difficult years of her illness, she continued to look forward, make plans, create, love, and live.

Kelly will be deeply missed by her husband, Jason; her son, Jacob; and her daughter, Hannah. She is also survived by her mother, Kathleen; stepmother, Marcia Schroeder; brother, Peter, and his wife, Holly; parents-in-law, Dennis and Barbara Mlsna; and many extended family members and dear friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Eugene Schroeder.

Kelly leaves behind far more than memories. She leaves behind two children who will always know how deeply they were loved, a husband who shared her life and stood beside her through every challenge, a business and creative legacy that bears her fingerprints, and a community of friends and family who were made better by her energy.

Kelly lived her life with courage, creativity, determination, and heart. She was so much more than the cancer she battled. She was a mother, wife, daughter, sister, entrepreneur, creator, proud Badger, and friend—and above all, she was Kelly.

She will be loved, remembered, and missed every day.

Celebration of Life Service to be held on September 14, 2026 at Cress Funeral Home at 6021 University Avenue from 2:00-4:00 p.m., with a blessing at 4:00 p.m.

Burial at a later date.

In lieu of flowers memorials maybe given to:

Mlsna Family, UW Carbone Cancer Center, Gildas Club or Dane County Humane Society.

Please share your memories of Kelly by posting in her guestbook