Kathryn McGregor (Smith) Oakford, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, and sister, passed away suddenly on May 25, 2026, at the age of 63. Known to all who loved her as the life of every room she walked into, Kathy left the world a warmer, brighter place than she found it.

Born on July 17, 1962, in Stamford, Connecticut, Kathy was the fourth of five daughters born to Wendell and Ginger Smith, a position in the family she wore with characteristic joy and mischief. She graduated from Westhill High School and then Roger Williams College in 1984 with summa cum laude honors with a degree in psychology. She then went on to build a beautiful life with her husband of 40 years, William Oakford, raising their two children, Alex and Abby in Norwalk, CT.

Kathy was well known for her community volunteering in Norwalk. She received the Mayoral Citation and Proclamation award for outstanding community contribution in 2008. She also received a City Council Community Service award as well as Mayoral recognition for her role as co-chairwoman of The Children’s Connection, including The Children’s Bank, a Holiday charity drive sponsored by The Human Services Council. Her community volunteer work touched beneficiaries of Salvation Army, The Emergency Shelter, Christian Community Action, Juvenile Justice, Malta House Women’s Shelter, and others. Her focus was support for abused and at-risk women and children living in foster and group homes struggling with frightening and unclear futures.

Kathy was also a professional organizer. She used her expertise in psychology to guide families and individuals through emotional decision-making to bring peace, calm, and efficiency to those struggling with clutter, chaos, and overwhelming sentiment.

She and her husband moved to Daniel Island, South Carolina in 2015 to enjoy a retirement of Charleston life including pickleball, long walks, fine dining, and grandparenting.

Kathy had a rare and genuine gift for people. Effervescent and non-judgmental, she had the natural ability to make anyone feel immediately at ease, as though they were her oldest, dearest friend. She never met a stranger. Whether at a backyard gathering or a grand celebration, Kathy gravitated toward connection, and people gravitated right back to her. She was the kind of person who made a party worth attending simply by being there.

She had a natural athleticism that she brought to the softball field, tennis court and pickleball court with enthusiasm and good humor, always more interested in the fun and the fellowship than in the score.

Kathy is survived by her father, Wendell Smith; her devoted husband, William Oakford; her son, Alexander Oakford; her daughter, Abigail May, and son-in-law Zack May; her grandchildren, Malcolm Oakford, Liam May, and Avery May; and her four sisters, Karen Wilson (and Jared), Wendy Berge (and Jim), Kim Quirk, and Jennifer Pacelli (and Rick), as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Ginger Smith.

A life well and fully lived, Kathy will be remembered for the light she brought into every room, and the love she left in every heart she touched.

A funeral service will be held Sunday, July 19, 2026 at the J. Henry Stuhr, Inc., Mount Pleasant Chapel at 1:00 pm. The family will receive friends an hour before the service.

Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Mount Pleasant Chapel. A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com.