Kathryn Ann Parisi

Kathryn Ann Parisi, 61, died peacefully Saturday, September 3, 2016 at the Denver Hospice. She was born October 28, 1954 in Akron, Ohio to Phyllis (Bakken) Parisi and Vito Parisi. Much of her childhood was spent in Wisconsin, and she moved to Denver, Colorado in 1968. Kathy graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 1972 and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado and a master's degree in Education Psychology from the University of Colorado at Denver. She married David Rick Smith and they had one child, Brittany Laurel Smith. In 2010, she married Tom Porter. Kathy is preceded in death by her father, Vito Parisi, and her brother, Bill Parisi. She is survived by her mother, Phyllis, her brothers Steve and David (Lisette), her sisters Patti and Cindi (John), her daughter Brittany, her husband Tom, and numerous nieces and nephews. Kathy was a longtime advocate of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a disease which she fought bravely for thirty six years. She taught Psychology and Early Childhood Development at Colorado Community Colleges Online. She was passionate about helping others in need and dedicated her life to this goal. Kathy loved going to the movies, watching HGTV, eating out, and spending time with friends and family. Most of all, she loved to laugh. Most often, she laughed until she cried. She had quite the sense for fashion and she loved to shop whenever she could. Memorial services will take place on Friday, September 9 at 2:30 p.m. at Bethany Luther Church. A reception will immediately follow at John and Cindi Thompson's house. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society on Kathy's behalf, http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Donate, or National MS Society, P.O. Box 4527, New York, NY 10163, 1-800-344-4867. Please share memories of Kathy and condolences for her family in the guestbook below.