Mary Kathryn Hemphill passed away on November 28, 2022, at the age of 98. The oldest daughter of Dr. Glenn R. Frye and Kathryn Aderholt Frye, she lived in Hickory her entire life, except for her years away at college. While still in high school, she met her beloved Sam, who was visiting a college friend’s home across the street from the Frye residence. That was that, and she and Sam married in 1944 over Christmas, when she was a junior at Sweet Briar College and he was on leave from the US Army Air Corps. After she graduated from Sweet Briar, they made their home in Hickory.

Mary Kathryn’s life was centered around music, community and family. She was a founding member of the Hickory Choral Society and sang Soprano in the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Choir for most of her life. She and Sam were active supporters of the church and the SALT Block Foundation. She also was involved with the Service League of Hickory and the Traveler’s Club. It was a point of pride for her that she was asked to join the Board of Trustees of Frye Regional Medical Center, which her father had owned and which bore his name, and later was elected Board Chair. She and Sam also enjoyed many happy years at their condo at Grandfather Mountain, where they both played genteel but fierce croquet.

Mary Kathryn was the archetype of a Southern lady that is rarely seen anymore. Had she been born later, she might have been a doctor, businessperson or other professional. But within her time and place, she was stoic, elegant, organized and matter-of-fact and applied those traits as a loving wife and mother and an asset to the organizations with which she was involved. As the graceful person that she was, many of her friends in the community knew her as a safe and discreet confidant.

Mary Kathryn was preceded in death by Sam and by her sisters, Martha Nye and Ruth Deaton. She leaves behind her four children, Kathryn Hemphill and husband, Ron Jones of Montezuma, NC, Steve Hemphill and wife Cathleen Hemphill of Raleigh, NC, Ellen Hemphill of Chapel Hill, NC, and Todd Hemphill and wife Nancy Hemphill of Cary, NC; five grandchildren, Bonnie Hemphill and husband Aaron Paul of Seattle, WA, Mark Hemphill and wife Sanaz Karbasi of Erie, CO, Samuel Lopez-Barrantes and wife Augusta Sagnelli of Paris, France, Aaron Lopez-Barrantes of Paris, France, and Madison Hemphill of Savannah, GA; and three great-grandsons, Gideon Paul, Caleb Paul and Aryo Hemphill.

Over the last decade or so, through her transition from the family home to assisted living to nursing care, Mary Kathryn had a number of women who helped her along that path. Chief among those was Jeannie Shuford, who has been with her for almost all of that time. The family cannot express its gratitude enough for Jeannie’s loving care of our mother for these many years.

The family will have a private graveside service in the near future. A memorial service celebrating Mary Kathryn’s life will be held on Saturday, January 7, 2023 at 2:00pm at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hickory.

Memorials may be made to the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Music Fund or Organ Fund, PO Box 9580, Hickory, NC 28603.

Bass-Smith Funeral Home in Hickory is serving the Hemphill family.