With deep sorrow we share news of the death of Kathryn Elizabeth Smith McCarroll in her 82nd year at St Joseph’s Villa in Dundas, ON. Born in London ON, May 19, 1939, she died March 13, 2021, peacefully in her sleep after many years of shining her light, even through dementia. Beloved wife to Paul, Mother to Pam (Harris Athanasiadis) & Wendy, Grandmother to Naomi, Caleb & Amado, Step-Grandmother to Mark & Hannah (Ben), Sister to Barbara Corbet & Ruth Norman, Sister-in-law to Peter (Sherry), Auntie to Heather (John), Ann, Geoffrey, Jen, Jill (Brian), Brent (Nickie) & Cam (Gosia), several wonderful great nieces and nephews and a friend to many! Much loved and fondly remembered, also, by Aaron Gallegos, Tim Butler and the Athanasiadis clan.
“Kath,” as she is commonly known by those who love her, was a High School teacher in the Hamilton Board for nearly 40 years and spent the last few decades of her work life at the Lawrence Alternative Program. She loved her students and colleagues and was deeply committed to the possibilities for publicly funded education. As a member of congregations of the United Church of Canada and the Presbyterian Church in Canada, she volunteered for many years in church-based outreach programs supporting refugees and marginalized folk through advocacy, community building, music making, and practices of hospitality. In her presence, people felt heard, loved and safe no matter their circumstance. Even until her last day, she welcomed people into her midst with a grin and arms open wide for a hug. She had a wonderful capacity to laugh at herself and to find joy in people and the gifts of God’s creation. With her sure and certain hope in the resurrection, we are better because Kath loved us and taught us how to follow the call to love justice, do mercy and walk humbly with our God.
We are so grateful to staff from Senior Support Services of Southern Ontario (Spencer Coombe and Taylor Campbell) for mediating our relationship with Kath through these pandemic times, for loving and caring for her and allowing her to continue to be a teacher of love, gratitude and grace over the last years. She loved you deeply. We also raise up gracious thanks to the Nurses (especially Karen and Noemi), wonderful PSWs, cleaning and management staff at Oak Grove, St Joseph’s Villa. Even in this time of terrible underfunding and pandemic, you have been beacons of hope.
If you wish to honour our beloved Kath please consider donating to the Emergency Support Committee for Refugees through Canada Helps or by regular mail ESCR c/o Nora Melara-López, Compass Community Health, 438 Hughson St. N, Hamilton ON, L8L4N5.
A service of witness to the resurrection and celebration of her life will take place at some point in the future when pandemic restrictions are lifted and we can do it in Kath style.
I worked with Kathy for many years at Sir John A. Macdonald high school. She always took the time to say hello when she came into the office. She was a lovely person.
My sincerest condolences to her family and friends.
Kath’s warmth at St. C’s was a welcome balm to my early medical student days. Fast forward & I would have the absolute delight of being able to call Wendy, her daughter, a dear friend. Thank you for your light & all you did for youth in the city of Hamilton. ❤️
Our thoughts are with the family..Paul, Ruthie and all.
I have so many wonderful memories of fun times with Kathy at Medway and at Inawendawin Camp.
She was a person who gave you her whole attention when you spoke with her. Her wonderful laugh and smile.
A good friend.
Deirdre and Max
Wonderful memories flow from experiencing Kathy and our Camp Inawendawin days so many years ago, what blessings!
Soar on sweet soul
love and light that you are
kind, gentle, wise
imprinted on our hearts
you are with us always
Sincere condolences to Paul and all of Kathy’s family.
diane edgar
Fond memories of a gracious, inclusive, caring presence at St.C’s , whose smile and laughter could get us out of ourselves, even when trying to organize small group studies. Heaven is graced with another saint. Deep peace to Paul, Pam, Wendy and their family.
My heart goes out to the Smith, McCarroll and Athanasiadis clans for your loss. I had the privilege of knowing Kath since I was a child when she was a frequent supply teacher in my class. I remember looking forward to seeing her long almost black hair and smiling face, and noticing how she just rolled with the shenanigans of the students. I got to know her better as a teen and young adult through my brother, Tim, and always found her to be truly interested in, caring and welcoming of others. She was demonstratively joyful. Through her teaching, church and volunteer work, Kath’s giving and role-modelling has had such a positive impact on countless people. She loved, and is loved by many.
A kind and gentle soul. Fondly remembered, along with Barbara Corbet, as the Smith sisters of Orchard Beach, Port Stanley.
May her memory be a blessing.
With sincere sympathy and all good thoughts,
The Sanderson Family
Warmest prayer-full care for you all
Sherry and Peter McCarroll
Please picture a gentle, smiling, welcoming soul, greeting you with laughter and hugs.
Yes, our dear Sister-in-Law Kathy brought happiness and love with her whenever we were together. Peter and I have fond memories of dinner table discussions while enjoying her delicious creations. Thoughtful in word and attentive to the needs of others were her shining gifts.
Love cannot be forced. Love cannot be coaxed and teased.
It comes out of Heaven unmasked and unsought.
Pearl Buck
Of all the music that reached farthest into Heaven, it is the beating of a loving heart.
Henry Ward Beecher
Love was her constant companion. We shall miss them dearly.
Dear Paul, I want to extend my sincere condolences to you at this time. I remember well your loving relationship with your wife Kathy when Mary Stevens, Sonja Stonehouse and I – all from Western – lived on Walmer Road in the same building as you and remember you as a spirited, friendly, and fun-loving couple – the envy of we three young women at the time. As a former high school teacher myself, I can imagine what a successful role model Kathy would have been for her students.
Kathy was a lovely, generous person. While I was an undergraduate student at McMaster University, I cleaned their home. Besides being well paid for my work, Kathy and Paul always expressed their appreciation. For a time, Kathy and I were in the same “cell” group. During one meeting, the topic of discussion was about angels. Kathy’s insights on this topic were so profound that they affected these beliefs in me ever since. May God provide you…Kathy’s family…great comfort in knowing that she was indeed a bright light to those who knew her, so much so that we can empathically say, “Well done thou good and faithful servant”.
My condolences to the family, and especially to Paul, Wendy, and Pam.
I lived in Kathy and Paul’s basement apartment at Kenmore Road for a couple of years back in the mid-1990s, and have nothing but fond memories of my moments with Kathy then, enjoying and benefiting much from her kindness, good humour, and generosity to me. I remember her many quirky, informative, hand-written notes to me, usually left on the top step or in the mailbox – I still have many of those notes! I haven’t seen Kathy and Paul for many years, but my thoughts have turned to them often since my time with them, remembering among other things Kathy’s laugh and my times chatting with her, about things light and serious. I missed those times, but feel above all so much gratitude for them.
Thank-you Kathy! Rest in peace. And to the family, take care of each other, and I look forward to seeing you all at Kathy’s celebration in the summer.
Sam Gardner
I knew Kathy many years ago at St. C’s. We were in a cell group together. I remember her paying such focussed attention to each person as they spoke. She was so very present. And she had such a sense of fun. One night we walked home from cell group together and laughed and laughed. Paul, Pam, Wendy and family, I am sorry for your loss.