Kenny Stacey Smith

Mrs. Kenny Stacey Smith, age 77, beloved widow of Douglas Byron Smith, Junior, died after a long illness on Monday, March 6, 2023 at Orchard Grove nursing home in Uncasville, Connecticut. She was the daughter of Eugene Edgar Stacey and Marion Anderson Stacey, both deceased, and was born in Lincoln, Nebraska. She had two siblings – a sister, Emily Ruth, born in 1949 and a brother, George Kelly, born in 1959. The family moved several times during her childhood, living in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana, and Kenny graduated from Norwin High School in Irwin, Pennsylvania in 1963. She worked as a secretary after receiving a business certificate from Power College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

After moving with her family to McMurray, Pennsylvania, Kenny met and married her first husband, David Alden Aldrich in 1965, and they had two children – Kelly Lynn, born in 1966 and Alden Eugene, born in 1970. After David’s tour of duty in Viet Nam in the US Army, the family lived in the Pittsburgh area for 10 years where Kenny was a homemaker who enjoyed raising her children, spending time with extended family, and volunteering in the community and local schools. In 1976, they moved to Brownsville, Vermont where Kenny lived for over 20 years. She worked as a switchboard operator and later as an office manager at Johnson & Dix Fuel Oil Company until her retirement in 1997.  

Having divorced in 1986, Kenny met and married her second husband, Douglas Byron Smith, Junior, at Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Windsor, Vermont in 1993. They lived in Vermont until 1998 when they moved to Florida, living first in Cedar Key and then in Homosassa, where they were active members of Saint Anne’s Episcopal Church in Crystal River. Kenny and Doug spent their retirement years traveling the East Coast and visiting friends and family in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Alabama, South Carolina, Hawaii, Washington DC, and throughout New England, often with their children and/or grandchildren in tow. They took a cruise along the coast of Alaska and spent many vacations at their time share in Aruba. Another favorite destination was Naushon Island, part of the Elizabeth Islands near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where they spent several weeks each summer boating, swimming, hiking, and watching their grandchildren learn to walk, swim, and ride horses. Kenny also had the opportunity to tour the Holy Lands on a meaningful and educational week-long trip with her daughter and granddaughter. After the death of her beloved husband Doug in 2011, Kenny moved to Rocky Hill, Connecticut to be closer to her children and grandchildren, later living in assisted living residences in Glastonbury, Hartford, Hebron, and Uncasville, Connecticut.

Kenny was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and cousin. She was faithful Christian who loved her church and her God, and she participated in committee work, bible study, women’s groups, and religious retreats. She was both a Girl Scout leader and a Cub Scout den mother, and she volunteered answering calls for the WISE domestic abuse hotline. Kenny enjoyed bird watching, gardening, baking, cooking, reading, and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers as a devoted fan. She loved her pets, especially her standard poodle, Copé, and her Persian cat, Frankie Blu. She will be remembered for her funny stories, quick wit, sharp tongue, and generous spirit.

Kenny is survived by her sister, Emily Copas of Laurelville, Ohio; her brother, George Stacey of North Andover, Massachusetts; two children, Kelly Ouellette (James) of Colchester, Connecticut and Alden Aldrich (Kristina) of Enfield, New Hampshire; three step-daughters: Ellen Bradford (James) of Lewes Delaware, Elizabeth Jewell of Enfield, New Hampshire, and Emilee VanReeth of Windsor, Vermont; six grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Care of private funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home of Colchester. In lieu of flowers, please direct donations to the National Audubon Society (New York, New York), the American Alzheimer’s Association (Chicago, Illinois), or the WISE Crisis Prevention & Advocacy Program (Lebanon, New Hampshire). 

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