Kay Prock Smithson was born in Lewistown Pa., on April 24, 1937, to Theodore and Mary Russler Prock.  After both parents passed away early, she was raised by her paternal aunt Elsie Corpening.  She grew up in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Florida. She attended the University of Florida where she met her husband, Kenneth Wayne Smithson and got her "Mrs." degree, as she called it.   They were married Sept 27, 1957, and celebrated 54 years together until his death in 2012. She is also predeceased by her brother-in-law, Richard M (Ricky) Smithson, and step-son Larry Daum.

Left to cherish her memory are her children Michael Wayne Smithson and wife Laurel, Melissa Smithson Wrenn and husband Wayne, daughter-in-law, Renata Daum, and sisters-in-law Virginia Smithson Mauldin and Chris Cole.

She adored her grandchildren showing off their pictures to every visitor. They include Pamela Smithson and husband Doug, Kelly Smithson, Tara Daum Harrison and husband Mark, Torin Daum and partner Guinevive, Kai Daum and great granddaughters Ashley and Lauren.  She will also be missed by several nieces and nephews, former daughter-in-law Janie Daum and her high school friend, Marion Cook.

Kenneth's career as an engineer for NASA and defense contractors took them to several cities over the years so she never felt "at home" until they moved to Tarboro.  He became an engineer for Black and Decker in 1981 and they settled into life on St. Patrick Street, with good neighbors who became great friends, Myra McCall and Scott Williamson. She survived working for Jack Hopkins, where she found a kindred spirit with close friend Jesse Pearson. Then she started her dream job in The Albemarle's Activities Dept. Taking the residents out shopping was right down her alley! She loved to read a good mystery, so after retirement, securing a part time job at the Edgecombe Memorial Library was perfect. There she found lasting friendships with Betty Winchester and Dorothy Everette, who remained a devoted friend after she came to Georgia.

She had two passions, cats and Santa Claus ornaments, having quite a collection of both! Most of Tarboro remembers her as "the Cat Lady". Her last remaining cat, Uni, came to Georgia with her, and now resides with her son. In her later years, her favorite activity was an afternoon trip to the Food Lion, where she browsed the magazine section, bought many little cans of cat food and visited with the customers and staff.  It was there that she met Rhonda Krebs, who became a trusted friend and caretaker of both her and the cats, enabling her to remain in her home until she had to come to Lawrenceville, Georgia in 2018. While in Georgia she received excellent care at Elaine's Personal Care Home and came over to her son's every Sunday for lunch.  Her granddaughters, Pamela and Kelly, were able to visit frequently, taking her for hair appointments, shopping and sharing a Jersey Mike's sandwich until her health declined to the point that she required 24-hour nursing care.  In April of this year, she was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer and after a courageous battle, she ultimately succumbed. We are very grateful to Agape Hospice for making sure she had a peaceful, pain-free passing.

She will be remembered for many virtues and a few vices. But, above all, she will be remembered as a beloved wife, mother, friend and GaGa.

A memorial service will be held at Edgecombe Memorial Park on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 1 PM..  Please consider a donation to Tarboro TNR, P.O. Box 342, Tarboro NC 27886, online www.tarborotnr.org or the Edgecombe County Memorial Library Memorial Gifts in her memory at www.edgecombelibrary.org. Under the home tab is the memorials information.