Kathryn Chiarolanzio

Kathryn Chiarolanzio of Stoneville passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 28, at Wesley Long Hospital surrounded by her husband Jerry Smith and seventeen family members. She was 67 years old.

A funeral service will be held at 2pm Saturday, October 4, 2025 at Fair Funeral Home Chapel in Eden with burial to follow at Stoneville Municipal Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5-7pm Friday, October 3, 2025, at Fair Funeral Home.

She was born in Madison, New Jersey on July 21, 1958, as the third child of six of Carl and Jacqueline Chiarolanzio. After moving to Florida, she graduated from St. Petersburg College with a degree in Human Services.

In 1997 while working for Health Plan Services, a large third-party insurance benefits administrator in Tampa, Florida, she was asked to assist a broker in North Carolina who was, as Kathryn would say, not real upset…. yet. His name was Jerry Smith from Stoneville, North Carolina. After making the call to Jerry and asking what he needed, he proceeded to explain what he needed “fixed”, and she had them all fixed within twenty-four hours. Ultimately and over the next twelve months or so of “fixing” Jerry’s issues, Kathryn became known as his insurance colleague who he didn’t even have to pay. One of his last faxes included the message, “those who do well are asked to do more” which became their own personal mantra. Eventually, Kathryn and Jerry met on one of his business trips to Tampa when she volunteered to pick him up at the airport and as he still testifies, he was smitten, and they became very interested in each other until a decision had to be made which resulted in her moving to Eden, North Carolina in 1999 and an eventual marriage in 2004.

Kathryn obtained employment with United Healthcare and after several promotions she retired from her last position as senior business analyst on January 1, 2024. On January 2nd, they began a twelve-day Caribbean cruise and were able to fulfill a very important item on her bucket list, seeing flamingos in their natural habitat in Curacao. And, as they both would attest today, that vacation was a blessing as not long after she began a two-and-a-half-year battle with lung cancer Jerry can proudly say she never gave up.

You’ll hear Jerry time and time again; Kathryn’s life was one of making sure everyone was provided for and taken care of. Her Christmas planning was a two-week, multiple staged event from the menu to the grocery shopping to the gift wrapping, culminating with the family enjoying her gourmet cooking and fellowship.

Kathryn’s parents, Carl and Jacqueline (Jacky) Chiarolanzio and her sister Debbie Chiera predeceased her.

Kathryn is survived by husband Jerry “Mugsy” Smith of Stoneville, NC and three children from a previous marriage, Jennifer Denman (Randy) of Stoneville, NC, James Weir (Tricia) of Greensboro, NC and Katie Weir (Eric) of Little River, SC. She was also blessed with four amazing bonus children, Ryan Smith (Jeremye) of Madison, NC, Jordan Smith (Casey) of Stokesdale, NC, Parker Knight (Jason) of Eden, NC and Gina Rinaldo Gibbons (Craig) of Tarpon Springs, Fl. Others include brothers Richard Chiarolanzio in Virginia and Carl (Skip) Chiarolanzio (Dawn) of Deep Gap, NC, sisters Diana Olmstead (Jim) of Austin, Tx and Christine Picillo (Ross) of Simpsonville, SC, Aunt Christine O’Oconnell of Port St. Lucie, Fl, Carol Kitchell of Madison, NJ and Uncle Joseph Chiarolanzio of Madison, NJ.

Grandchildren include Dylan Smith, Taylor Roberts (Layne), Skylar Roland, Liam Smith, Brayden Dalton, Miles Smith, Landon Weir, Che Denman, Mary Beth Knight, Hudson Weir, Ivey Knight, Austin Schroeder and Courtney Schroeder. Finally, great granddaughter, Hadley Budd. Kathryn and Jerry consider themselves the luckiest two people in the world with the enjoyment and love these grandchildren have bestowed upon them.

Kathryn’s sincerest request is if you’d consider contributing to Ancora Compassionate in Wentworth, NC.