Katharine "Kit" Hilton Lyday

Katharine Hilton Lyday, “Kit” of Asheville, left us with beautiful memories and inspiration on February 21, 2023. She was surrounded by loved ones, at the age of 80. She was a positive force and challenged us to look for the good, moment by moment. She didn’t point us to that path, she led the way.

Kit was born in Reading, Pennsylvania on November 15, 1942 to Katharine Beaver Hilton and Raymond Leslie Hilton. Her family moved to Asheville, N.C. when she was ten.

Kit graduated from AC Reynolds High School in 1960 and Western Carolina in 1964 with a BA in Psychology and married Albert James Lyday, Jr. “Jim” on August 22 the same year. They moved to Memphis while he went to optometry school. In 1967, they moved to Easley, S.C., where she began her career in social work. After the birth of their two children, she decided to dedicate her energy to her family. During that time she and a friend wrote a cooking column for the local newspaper and co-authored a cookbook. She returned to social work and was a foster care supervisor for the S.C. Department of Social Services, until her retirement.

She was a member of the Easley Arts Council, Easley Junior Women’s Club, on the board of Pendleton Place Children’s Shelter, Greenville Safe Kids, and was a volunteer Guardian ad Litem.

Kit and Jim loved the outdoors, especially hiking vacations. They hiked the Grand Canyon, the High Sierras at Yosemite, Long Trail in Vermont, and parts of the Mountains to the Sea trail. They traveled to every state except North Dakota and most provinces in Canada. Kit was a Master Gardener and enjoyed Interior Design. She loved books and British mysteries and was a voracious reader.

She cherished her family and will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 58 years, Jim; her children, Laura Fackler and Mark Lyday; her three granddaughters, Caitlin Lyday, Kate Fackler, and Meg Fackler; and her brothers, Tim Hilton (Carolyn); and David Hilton.

A celebration of Kit’s life will be held on March 25th at 1:00 in St. Giles Chapel with Reverend Tonya Hill officiating. A reception will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to St.Giles Chapel, 1617 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville, N.C. 28803.

Groce Funeral Home’s Lake Julian team is assisting the family.