Katheryn Smithers Hill, 62, of Hernando, MS passed away May 9, 2025, after a
courageous two and a half-year long battle with brain cancer.
Katy was born June 18, 1962, to the late Lt. Colonel Ray Clifford Smithers and Anne
Wilkins Smithers in Wichita, Kansas. As part of a military family, Katy grew up in various
places including Fort Worth, Texas, Abilene, Texas, and Taichung, Taiwan. She spent
ages ten through twelve in Taiwan, where she said she spent her days running around
rice paddies turning brown from the sun.
After Ray’s retirement, in 1976, they moved to Holly Springs, MS, her mother’s
hometown, were she started 9 th grade. Growing up there she became a life guard at the
local country club and taught many children to swim.
Katy is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Bess Pitts and husband Wayne.
She is Survived by her husband of 35 years Richard; her daughter Jessie Hill of
Hernando, MS; her son Jamie Hill (Mary Margaret) of Seattle, WA; her sister Cindy
Smithers of Austin, TX; beloved sisters-in-law Virgina Tate (Arthur) and Margaret
Rowland (Tim) all of New Albany, MS; several nieces, nephews and others from
Mississippi, Florida and Virginia.
Katy is a graduate of Marshall Academy in 1980; she then obtained her BS in Computer
Science from Ole Miss in 1985.
After graduating from Ole Miss, she worked at First State Bank for 2 years. The
computers she worked with back then were so large they were kept in their own room,
with air conditioning piped through the floor to keep them from overheating.
She then worked in installations and servicing for credit union programs all over the
country with M-Tech, Re:Member Data and Open Solutions for a combined 25+ years.
Eighteen of which she was able to work from home.
Working from home while her children were in school allowed her to participate in
school activities, class trips, booster clubs, etc. (She even told her office she couldn’t
get to work because of snow a couple times and played outside with the kids who had a
school snow day)
Katy began work as the bookkeeper for Olive Branch Elementary School in January
2010. She retired from there July 2022. During this time, she gained some great friends
that remain to this day some of her closest friendships. All the teachers knew a least 2
things about Katy. She always wanted all the money to add up and be accounted for
AND she ALWAYS had a bowl of Hershey’s kisses to share anytime.
Katy loved Girl Scouts, and was a lifetime member. She always said, one of her HAPPY
PLACES was Kamp Kiwani close to Middletown, TN. She was a scout as a child; but
became a co-leader in 1998 and stayed with that troop from Daisy Scouts through
Seniors. She served as the Hernando Service Unit Manager from 2000 through 2020.
She remained active in scouts through working at camps doing tie dye, leather and
most any crafts with the girls. She also ran the cookie pantry, which was kept in her
garage, from 2015 until 2022, when she became ill.
Starting in 2018, she became interested in beekeeping and bought 2 hives, caught
swarms and increased up to 18 hives at one time. She named her apiary “Four Paws
Honey” and donated a portion of the proceeds to the Hernando Animal Shelter.
Services will be held at Hernando Methodist Church on June 7, 2025. Visitation will be
held at 10:00 am, with a memorial service to follow at 11:00 am. A family grave side
service at Hill Crest Cemetery in Holly Springs, MS to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hernando Methodist
Church, St Jude Children’s Hospital, Glioblastoma Research Organization, or any
charity of donor’s choosing.