Leah Carothers, 35, residence hall director of Verder and Engleman halls, passed away Thursday, Nov. 28 in Good Samaritan Hospice, Heritage Valley with her parents and brother at her side. Colleagues and students alike said they will forever remember her as someone who always had a bright smile and always offered support to students.

“Leah touched the lives of many,” Director of Residence Services Jill Church said. “She had a great sense of humor, and her laughter and smile would light up a room.”

It was not confirmed as of press time how Carothers died.

Carothers was born Sept. 23, 1978, daughter of Vince and Ruth Carothers. One of her favorite places to go was Walt Disney World, and she loved to travel in general, according to her obituary. She was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Monaca in Pennsylvania growing up and was dedicated to everything she did in life.

Carothers was Residence Services Director at Ashland University from 2000 to 2001 before coming to Kent State.

Church said Carothers, who had worked for Kent State Department of Residence Services since January 2002, will be greatly missed.

Carothers also actively supported Kent Interhall Council as an adviser.

“Leah was a great adviser to Kent Interhall Council,” said Lindsay Marx, assistant director of Academic and Student Leadership Programs in Residence Services, in a prepared statement Monday on behalf of Kent Interhall Council.

Marx said she was an amazing supporter of student leadership and echoed Church’s remarks, saying Carothers will be missed dearly.

Carothers was actively involved in many other higher-education organizations as well that involved student leadership and development and worked with resident assistants as a residence hall director.

Freshman pre-speech pathology major Theresa Medrano remembers the reaction of her coworkers in the FlashCard office when they learned of Carothers’ passing.

“A lot of people in the office I work in knew her, so when they heard of her passing, there were many sad faces,” Medrano said. “I never knew her that well personally, but my boss spoke of her as a very kind, supportive woman that had her heart open to those that she worked with.”

Medrano recalls that her boss also said Carothers was a person who made a tough job look easy and loved it.

Funeral arrangements are at the McConnell Funeral Home in Hookstown, Pa. There will be no visitation, but a memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday with friends being received at 10 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Monaca at 1301 Indiana Ave., Monaca, Pa. The Rev. Beth Wierman will direct the memorial service.

Contact Robert Carrol at [email protected]/a>.