Kitty Simpson Parker Smith

Kitty Simpson Parker Smith

          Kitty Smith, 97 of Hillsville, VA, passed away on Saturday, January 13, 2018. Kitty was born, in Frederick, Maryland on January 23, 1920 to the parents—Walter A. and Leah Michael Simpson. She grew up on her father’s farm along the Mason-Dixon Line between Emmitsburg, MD and Gettysburg, PA. She entered nursing school at Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore and later attended William and Mary College and received the first U.S. Public Health Fellowship awarded by the state of Maryland. Her nursing career began in the rural eastern shore of Maryland. Kitty was called upon to provide a variety of services such as being midwife, teacher, primary care, high risk infant care in the home and friend to all. She became the first Field Supervisor in Public Health Nursing in Maryland. She married Army Officer, 1st Lt. Lee Parker, in 1946.

          Between 1950 until she retired in 1990, she worked for the Arlington Health Department, taught nursing and was an administrator in nursing education at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., Radford University, Radford, VA, and George Mason University, Fairfax, VA. She also worked as a nursing education consultant in Mainland China at Beijing University in the 1980s and was a consultant to the minister of education in Taiwan for nursing research education.

          Kitty married Stephen M. Smith after the death of Lt. Col. Lee Parker in 1973. Steve was a member of the Catholic Church and stockbroker with the firm of Shearson, Hayden, and Stone on Little Wall Street in Washington, D.C. Steve died in 1978.

          Upon her retirement, Kitty moved to Carroll County, VA to be nearby her son and daughter-in-law—James and Rita Parker. In 2001, George Mason University honored her as an Associate Professor Emeritus. On October 7, 2003, she was honored by the Virginia Retired Teachers Association for the Lifetime Service Award as the “the most active member” in the state of Virginia. Locally, she was a member of the Retired Teachers Association, Hillsville Lions Club and District Governor for District 24-F, Eye Clinic of the Twin Counties, Carroll County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Hillsville Public Library volunteer, and Carroll County Wellness Center volunteer. Her family and fellow associates often said that she was a very special lady who inspired others to succeed and never gave up in helping others.

          Survivors include her son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Rita Parker of Hillsville; grandchildren and spouses, Christina and Erik Barton; George and Anne Parker, Yolanda Zepeda and Gustavo Huerta; and five great grandchildren.

          A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel at 7:00 PM with Pastor Robert Smith officiating. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Saturday from 6:00 until 7:00 PM prior to the memorial service. Inurnment will follow at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Eye Clinic, c/o Hillsville Lions Club P.O. Box 122 Hillsville, VA 24343. Vaughan-Guynn-McGrady Chapel is serving the family.