Mary "Kathy" Kathleen Fiore

Mary "Kathy" Kathleen Fiore, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away on October 28, 2025 at the age of 69.

Born on March 25, 1956, in Ocala, Florida, to Clarence “Buddy” and Vida Jeanne Ziegler, Kathy grew up on an orange grove in Germantown, alongside her older brother Wayne and younger brother Jerry. She often shared fond memories of that time—of family, laughter, and the joys of life on the grove.

Kathy worked as a paraprofessional at Sparr Elementary School for 30 years, dedicating her life to the education of children. Her greatest joy, however, came from being a mother to her two sons and a grandmother to her three grandchildren.

Widowed in 1994, Kathy faced life’s challenges with quiet strength and grace, raising her two boys as a single mother. 

Later in life, Kathy met her companion, Buddy Waldron, with whom she shared many wonderful years filled with love, laughter, and kindness.Her grandchildren will always remember baking with her and doing crafts together and just how much she loved and cared for them. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, David Robert Fiore, and her parents, Clarence “Buddy” and Vida Jeanne Ziegler.

Kathy leaves behind to cherish her memory her sons, Matthew David (Erica) and Joseph Robert (Elizabeth) Fiore; her brothers, Wayne (Janie) Ziegler and Jerry (Lita) Ziegler ; her significant other, Buddy Waldron; and her adored grandchildren, Charlotte, Lucia, and Ren Fiore.

A funeral service will take place on Saturday, November 8, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. at First United Methodist Church in Reddick, Florida with visitation at 10:00 A.M. Friends and family are invited to attend and share memories of her life.

Countryside Funeral Home has been entrusted with the final arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Florida Guardian Ad Litem Foundation in Kathy’s honor. https://flgal.org/donate-to-the-florida-guardian-ad-litem-foundation/