Jim Justice Wife Cathy Justice: Meet the Former West Virginia First Lady and Educator

Jim Justice’s wife, Cathy Leigh Comer Justice, has spent much of her life connected to education, business, community work and West Virginia. Although she became widely known as the wife of Jim Justice during his political career, Cathy built a professional identity of her own long before he became governor.

The couple’s story began when they were teenagers attending Woodrow Wilson High School in Beckley, West Virginia. They eventually married in 1976 and went on to raise two children, Jay and Jill.

Cathy later became First Lady of West Virginia when Jim Justice took office as governor in January 2017. During her eight years in that role, education became a major focus of her public work, particularly through Communities In Schools and the Friends With Paws therapy dog program.

She was also appointed to the West Virginia Board of Education in November 2024 for a nine-year term. That appointment attracted questions because it was made by her husband shortly after his election to the U.S. Senate, while Jim Justice defended her qualifications and experience.

Who is Cathy Justice?

Cathy Leigh Comer Justice was born in Beckley and grew up in Prosperity, West Virginia. She attended Raleigh County public schools and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1970.

It was at that school where she met Jim Justice. According to the former governor’s official biography, the two were high school sweethearts and went to prom together. Cathy later attended Marshall University, where she earned a degree in secondary education in 1975.

After college, she returned to Raleigh County and married Jim the following year.

Their marriage has now lasted decades, with the couple marking their 40th wedding anniversary in 2016. The West Virginia Department of Education describes them as having been married for 48 years at the time of Cathy’s 2024 board appointment.

Cathy Justice’s education background

Education has been an important part of Cathy Justice’s professional life.

After graduating from Marshall University, she worked as a substitute teacher in Raleigh County schools. That experience later became an important part of her public service work because she continued to focus on children and education after becoming First Lady.

Her background was not limited to teaching. Cathy also became involved in her family’s business, Comer Electric, Inc., which was started by her parents. Following her father’s death, she became president of the company.

She also spent five years serving on the board of directors of First National Bank in Ronceverte, giving her experience outside the education sector.

Her career therefore included teaching, business and community involvement before she entered the public spotlight as West Virginia’s First Lady.

Cathy Justice as West Virginia First Lady

Jim Justice became West Virginia governor in January 2017, making Cathy Justice the state’s First Lady.

She served in that role throughout both of his terms, from January 2017 until January 2025. Rather than making her public role primarily ceremonial, Cathy centered much of her work on students and education.

Her main initiative was Communities In Schools, commonly known as CIS.

The program works with students who face academic and non-academic barriers that can make staying in school difficult. It connects students and families with resources and support through coordinators based in schools.

Cathy became one of the leading public advocates for expanding the program throughout West Virginia.

The initiative began with a three-county pilot in 2018. Over the following years, it expanded throughout the state. By 2024, the West Virginia Department of Education reported that CIS had reached all 55 counties, with 298 site coordinators working across 285 schools and impacting about 117,000 students.

Her work with Communities In Schools

Cathy’s involvement with CIS became one of the defining parts of her time as First Lady.

The program focuses on helping students remain in school by addressing problems that can affect their education, including basic needs, family circumstances and emotional support.

The West Virginia Department of Education has credited Cathy and the Justice administration with helping expand the program statewide. In December 2023, West Virginia became the first state department of education to receive national certification as a licensed Communities In Schools partner.

Cathy continued promoting the program through school visits and public events.

The initiative also became closely connected with her belief that students need support beyond what happens inside the classroom.

Friends With Paws therapy dog program

Another project associated with Cathy Justice is Friends With Paws.

The program brought trained therapy dogs into Communities In Schools locations across West Virginia. The goal was to give students another form of emotional and social support while creating a more welcoming school environment.

The program began placing therapy dogs in schools in 2022. By November 2024, the governor’s office said 42 dogs had been placed statewide.

The West Virginia Department of Education has also described the dogs as a way to help students communicate, feel more comfortable and improve school engagement.

For Cathy, Friends With Paws became an extension of her broader focus on supporting children who may be dealing with difficult circumstances.

Cathy Justice joins the State Board of Education

In November 2024, Jim Justice appointed his wife to the West Virginia Board of Education for a nine-year term.

The appointment came shortly after Jim Justice won election to the U.S. Senate, and it generated questions about whether appointing a spouse to a state board presented a nepotism concern.

The Associated Press reported that Justice defended the appointment by pointing to Cathy’s education background and her years of work with students and schools. The report also noted that she had teaching experience and had led the statewide expansion of Communities In Schools.

Cathy was formally sworn in as a board member in November 2024. The West Virginia Department of Education currently lists her as a member of the state board, with the appointment running through November 2033.

Her appointment means her work in education continued beyond her time as First Lady.

Jim and Cathy Justice’s children

Jim and Cathy Justice have two adult children, Jay Justice and Dr. Jill Justice.

Jay Justice is involved with the family’s business operations. Jill Justice has a medical background and has also been involved with the family’s Greenbrier interests.

The family has grown over the years to include spouses and grandchildren. The West Virginia Department of Education lists Jay’s wife as Catherine Grainger Justice and Jill’s husband as Adam Long, along with four grandchildren.

Family has remained an important part of Cathy’s life, alongside her work in education and community programs.

Cathy Justice beyond politics

Cathy Justice has also maintained interests outside government and education.

She grew up active in 4-H and developed a strong interest in horses. She later became involved in the Justice family’s thoroughbred racing operation.

She has also remained connected to local community and church activities. Her official biographies note her involvement with a church-affiliated reading program for elementary school children.

Her life has therefore included several different roles over the years: wife, mother, teacher, business leader, First Lady and education advocate.

Cathy Justice’s life after the governor’s mansion

Jim Justice completed his second term as West Virginia governor in January 2025 and moved on to the U.S. Senate.

Cathy’s public service did not end with her husband’s departure from the governor’s office. Her appointment to the State Board of Education gives her a continuing role in West Virginia education.

Her career shows that the title of First Lady was only one part of her public identity. Before and during that period, she had already developed experience in teaching, business and community work.

For people searching for information about Jim Justice’s wife, Cathy Justice’s story is therefore closely tied to both family and education.

She met Jim Justice as a teenager in Beckley, married him after college and spent decades raising their family. Later, she used her background in education to make student support a central focus of her public work.

Today, her name remains connected with West Virginia education through her position on the State Board of Education, continuing a public career that began well before her husband entered statewide politics.