Obituary for Katrina Cathleen Smith (Elliott)
"The actions we take, the choices we make, are based on a lifetime of learning and the influence of current circumstances. We must never forget.” Katrina
Katrina enriched and influenced everyone she met and spent time with. She was a romantic, a poet, a mentor, a teacher, a provider, a charmer, a comforter, an encourager, and a healer. She was the organization behind our celebrations and the support we sought in our sorrow and disappointments. She held us all accountable and she would always help us correct our mistakes.
She will always be with us as she has joined the eternal cloud of witnesses. She cherished the times with family, pouring out all her wisdom, knowledge, skills, and strengths to them.
"I love each of my children equally, but differently.
My Children and I need to work through differences together.
I hope I don't get it wrong, I hope that they each will know that they are loved best." Katrina
She made the time to work with each of her children so they would have the skills to do their best and succeed. She took each one to her side and taught them to cook, bake, and manage the business in their lives. They were to be modest about their success and learn from the problems. She would read, game play, sing, and dance with each one. In her kitchen academy she instructed them in all necessary skills. Katrina exposed their preschool classes to very meaningful holiday traditions that were not on the calendar. As a Summer's Best Two Weeks crafts leader, she used her love and her talent to help young campers create crafts about the lessons in the scriptures.
Katrina acquired supplies and additional skilled assistance for many ambitious science fair projects. She worked with Cub Scouts on advancements, helped sell Boy Scout popcorn, and Girl Scout cookies. She watched many Pinewood Derby races, went to Courts of Honor, visited Scout Jamboree, and assisted all she could for the success of her Eagle Scout. She was active for 16 years of dance lessons and recitals, piano lessons and recitals, Karate classes and testing to a Black Belt level. She cheered at Little league practice and baseball and softball games and even some wrestling. She delighted in attending school chorus performances, orchestra performances, plays, musicals, band nights, band fest, parades, and halftime shows. She strived to be a supreme band booster, especially selling 50/50 tickets.
Katrina cheered for Quiz Bowl, and helped fundraise and chaperone a student theater trip to the Fringe Festival in Scotland. She welcomed and hosted international students from Spain and France. She made it possible for a daughter to exchange to France and for a daughter to do three mission trips to Honduras and a study trip to Mexico. She supported Graystone youth projects, watched all four children serve as acolytes and as counselors for Summers Best Two Weeks. She helped David, and organized volunteers, to decorate Graystone for Christmas.
Katrina enjoyed holiday celebrations with family; Halloween costuming (creating and sewing) and trick or treat, Thanksgiving food, St. Martin's Day, St. Nicholas Day, Christmas decorating and baking, Chinese New Year, Easter baskets and egg hunts. With a flair for competition, baking and craft skills, creative use of garden produce and flowers, she and her children made the Indiana County Fair a family event, with some entries so successful that they led to follow up trips to the Pennsylvania Farm Show. She enjoyed a home life of birthday celebrations, sleepovers, pond play, ice cream making, making sugar on the snow in the summer, fondue in the parlor, cider making, canning garden produce with children and friends, and many Christmas Eve open houses with clam chowder, oyster stew, and cookies. It made her happy to have acquired the only working Ferris Wheel in the neighborhood, maybe the county. She was happy to eat breakfast with the buffalos and her children.
Katrina was dedicated to going tent camping each Memorial Day weekend at Westminster Highlands, visiting Ricketts Glen with the Boy Scouts, the Pennsylvania Farm Show, Ag Progress Days, the Outer Banks with family, Vermont, Baltimore and The National Aquarium, school trips, New York City, Niagara Falls, Buttermilk Falls, Punxsutawney Christmas Parades, riding the Durbin Rocket, Italy, Bonnaire, Charleston, SC, Tampa, holiday get togethers (in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia) and all points in between, as long as she was with family.
“Even when I’m not close by, I want you to know,
I love you for the little girl/boy that you once were,
And for the amazing man/woman that you are today,
And for the precious daughter/son you will always be..
Wrap yourself in this and consider it a big hug!” Katrina
Seeing her oldest son off to Naval Basic training to become a nuclear submariner was concerning, but attending a celebration of his marriage to a wonderful bride and new daughter was jubilation. Having her oldest daughter graduate as a secondary English educator and go on to start teaching with a new home was the triumph she wanted for her. She was always thinking of, and helping assist with the plans of another daughter and son moving on to have careers and families.
Katrina was the smartest, most talented, most graceful, most elegant, and most loving person in our lifetime. Though she was a stunning participant in the Mrs. Pennsylvania contest, she never took herself that seriously.
“There is a reason why we can’t find a recipe for kiwi bread in a cookbook.”
Kitchen Disaster, Katrina
She loved going to the Pittsburgh Ballet, especially the Nutcracker with her whole family. She was a collector of cookbooks and recipes, cooking gadgets, reference books, sandwich glass, silver flatware, board games, Christmas decorations, apple glassware, and coins. She restored houses and furniture, frequented flea markets, antique malls, yard sales, and salvage stores, and would pause and consider roadside treasures. She read continuously and corresponded with friends and family. She made herself available to take friends and family to appointments and events. She frequented the Pittsburgh Strip District to acquire those extra special ingredients for her kitchen that enabled her to present culinary delights from many cultures. Although continuously active with her family and friends, Katrina always had time to love her cats, even the ones that were not black.
Katrina was the loving partner and critical conscience that David needed for decision making. Along with all the things they tried to accomplish with the children and home, they always treasured the time they could ballroom dance together, anywhere, anytime.
Katrina was born in Morgantown, WV, and always shared memories of family, friends, and teachers that meant so much to her. In her youth, she had varied musical interests, playing the violin and singing with the youth choir at Highland Park United Methodist Church. She attended West Virginia University, majoring in Design, but soon she would be an accomplished professional in the automobile sales business. She worked in the Pittsburgh region, Johnstown, Indiana, and Blairsville, Pennsylvania. While working in Blairsville, she was courted by and married David in 1996. She left the auto business to pursue her passion to become an accomplished chef. She attended the Culinary Academy of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, graduating at the top of her class in 1997. She delayed a culinary career to be a full time mother and supportive wife.
Katrina is remembered by her husband, David K. Smith; son, Payton C. Smith and wife Alanna of Inwood, Manhattan, NY; daughter, Quinn K. Smith of Dormont, PA; daughter, Raeleigh K. Smith of the University of Tampa, FL; and son, Shae K. Smith of Indiana, PA. She is remembered by her mother, Joy Elliott of Morgantown, WV; brother, Kendall C. Elliott II and wife Jane of Port Tobacco, MD; sister, Karen (Elliott) Galentine and husband David of Cannonsburg, PA; brother, Kreg C. Elliott of Linden, VA; nephew, Kris C. Elliott of Charlotte, NC; nephew, Konner C. Elliott of Port Tobacco, MD; and niece, Kendall C. Elliott of Linden, VA. She is preceded in death by her father, Kendall C. Elliott and mother-in-law Sara (Sadie) Smith.
Join Katrina’s family for a celebration of her life at 11:00 am, Saturday March 5, 2022, at the Rustic Lodge, 2199 Oakland Ave Indiana, Pennsylvania. Any memorial contributions can be directed to a donor’s charity in remembrance of Katrina E. Smith. For online condolences, please visit rbfh.net.
Katrina enriched and influenced everyone she met and spent time with. She was a romantic, a poet, a mentor, a teacher, a provider, a charmer, a comforter, an encourager, and a healer. She was the organization behind our celebrations and the support we sought in our sorrow and disappointments. She held us all accountable and she would always help us correct our mistakes.
She will always be with us as she has joined the eternal cloud of witnesses. She cherished the times with family, pouring out all her wisdom, knowledge, skills, and strengths to them.
"I love each of my children equally, but differently.
My Children and I need to work through differences together.
I hope I don't get it wrong, I hope that they each will know that they are loved best." Katrina
She made the time to work with each of her children so they would have the skills to do their best and succeed. She took each one to her side and taught them to cook, bake, and manage the business in their lives. They were to be modest about their success and learn from the problems. She would read, game play, sing, and dance with each one. In her kitchen academy she instructed them in all necessary skills. Katrina exposed their preschool classes to very meaningful holiday traditions that were not on the calendar. As a Summer's Best Two Weeks crafts leader, she used her love and her talent to help young campers create crafts about the lessons in the scriptures.
Katrina acquired supplies and additional skilled assistance for many ambitious science fair projects. She worked with Cub Scouts on advancements, helped sell Boy Scout popcorn, and Girl Scout cookies. She watched many Pinewood Derby races, went to Courts of Honor, visited Scout Jamboree, and assisted all she could for the success of her Eagle Scout. She was active for 16 years of dance lessons and recitals, piano lessons and recitals, Karate classes and testing to a Black Belt level. She cheered at Little league practice and baseball and softball games and even some wrestling. She delighted in attending school chorus performances, orchestra performances, plays, musicals, band nights, band fest, parades, and halftime shows. She strived to be a supreme band booster, especially selling 50/50 tickets.
Katrina cheered for Quiz Bowl, and helped fundraise and chaperone a student theater trip to the Fringe Festival in Scotland. She welcomed and hosted international students from Spain and France. She made it possible for a daughter to exchange to France and for a daughter to do three mission trips to Honduras and a study trip to Mexico. She supported Graystone youth projects, watched all four children serve as acolytes and as counselors for Summers Best Two Weeks. She helped David, and organized volunteers, to decorate Graystone for Christmas.
Katrina enjoyed holiday celebrations with family; Halloween costuming (creating and sewing) and trick or treat, Thanksgiving food, St. Martin's Day, St. Nicholas Day, Christmas decorating and baking, Chinese New Year, Easter baskets and egg hunts. With a flair for competition, baking and craft skills, creative use of garden produce and flowers, she and her children made the Indiana County Fair a family event, with some entries so successful that they led to follow up trips to the Pennsylvania Farm Show. She enjoyed a home life of birthday celebrations, sleepovers, pond play, ice cream making, making sugar on the snow in the summer, fondue in the parlor, cider making, canning garden produce with children and friends, and many Christmas Eve open houses with clam chowder, oyster stew, and cookies. It made her happy to have acquired the only working Ferris Wheel in the neighborhood, maybe the county. She was happy to eat breakfast with the buffalos and her children.
Katrina was dedicated to going tent camping each Memorial Day weekend at Westminster Highlands, visiting Ricketts Glen with the Boy Scouts, the Pennsylvania Farm Show, Ag Progress Days, the Outer Banks with family, Vermont, Baltimore and The National Aquarium, school trips, New York City, Niagara Falls, Buttermilk Falls, Punxsutawney Christmas Parades, riding the Durbin Rocket, Italy, Bonnaire, Charleston, SC, Tampa, holiday get togethers (in Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia) and all points in between, as long as she was with family.
“Even when I’m not close by, I want you to know,
I love you for the little girl/boy that you once were,
And for the amazing man/woman that you are today,
And for the precious daughter/son you will always be..
Wrap yourself in this and consider it a big hug!” Katrina
Seeing her oldest son off to Naval Basic training to become a nuclear submariner was concerning, but attending a celebration of his marriage to a wonderful bride and new daughter was jubilation. Having her oldest daughter graduate as a secondary English educator and go on to start teaching with a new home was the triumph she wanted for her. She was always thinking of, and helping assist with the plans of another daughter and son moving on to have careers and families.
Katrina was the smartest, most talented, most graceful, most elegant, and most loving person in our lifetime. Though she was a stunning participant in the Mrs. Pennsylvania contest, she never took herself that seriously.
“There is a reason why we can’t find a recipe for kiwi bread in a cookbook.”
Kitchen Disaster, Katrina
She loved going to the Pittsburgh Ballet, especially the Nutcracker with her whole family. She was a collector of cookbooks and recipes, cooking gadgets, reference books, sandwich glass, silver flatware, board games, Christmas decorations, apple glassware, and coins. She restored houses and furniture, frequented flea markets, antique malls, yard sales, and salvage stores, and would pause and consider roadside treasures. She read continuously and corresponded with friends and family. She made herself available to take friends and family to appointments and events. She frequented the Pittsburgh Strip District to acquire those extra special ingredients for her kitchen that enabled her to present culinary delights from many cultures. Although continuously active with her family and friends, Katrina always had time to love her cats, even the ones that were not black.
Katrina was the loving partner and critical conscience that David needed for decision making. Along with all the things they tried to accomplish with the children and home, they always treasured the time they could ballroom dance together, anywhere, anytime.
Katrina was born in Morgantown, WV, and always shared memories of family, friends, and teachers that meant so much to her. In her youth, she had varied musical interests, playing the violin and singing with the youth choir at Highland Park United Methodist Church. She attended West Virginia University, majoring in Design, but soon she would be an accomplished professional in the automobile sales business. She worked in the Pittsburgh region, Johnstown, Indiana, and Blairsville, Pennsylvania. While working in Blairsville, she was courted by and married David in 1996. She left the auto business to pursue her passion to become an accomplished chef. She attended the Culinary Academy of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, graduating at the top of her class in 1997. She delayed a culinary career to be a full time mother and supportive wife.
Katrina is remembered by her husband, David K. Smith; son, Payton C. Smith and wife Alanna of Inwood, Manhattan, NY; daughter, Quinn K. Smith of Dormont, PA; daughter, Raeleigh K. Smith of the University of Tampa, FL; and son, Shae K. Smith of Indiana, PA. She is remembered by her mother, Joy Elliott of Morgantown, WV; brother, Kendall C. Elliott II and wife Jane of Port Tobacco, MD; sister, Karen (Elliott) Galentine and husband David of Cannonsburg, PA; brother, Kreg C. Elliott of Linden, VA; nephew, Kris C. Elliott of Charlotte, NC; nephew, Konner C. Elliott of Port Tobacco, MD; and niece, Kendall C. Elliott of Linden, VA. She is preceded in death by her father, Kendall C. Elliott and mother-in-law Sara (Sadie) Smith.
Join Katrina’s family for a celebration of her life at 11:00 am, Saturday March 5, 2022, at the Rustic Lodge, 2199 Oakland Ave Indiana, Pennsylvania. Any memorial contributions can be directed to a donor’s charity in remembrance of Katrina E. Smith. For online condolences, please visit rbfh.net.