Obituary of Kurt William Schlichting

Kurt W. Schlichting, 51, of Zionville, North Carolina died Thursday, October 8, 2020. A virtual memorial will be held via Zoom on Wednesday, October 21 at 7pm; please email kws.celebrationoflife@gmail.com to attend. An in-person celebration of his life will take place when restrictions on gatherings are lifted. Kurt grew up in the mountains of North Carolina. He attended Mabel Elementary school as a youth; making lifelong friends through Boy Scouts and rec league soccer. He was a 1986 graduate of Watauga High School in Boone, NC where he was a member of the WHS soccer team. He attended North Carolina State University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. During college, he had the opportunity to study abroad and travelled to Germany. While there, he was able to meet German family and visit his grandfather's home place. His career then varied: he walked the walls on new construction projects while pumping concrete, worked in fine dining, and then returned to construction with his father's business partner John. After his father suffered a stroke, Kurt became his devoted caretaker. In his spare time, Kurt loved to read, and he particularly enjoyed exploring music -- playing the guitar and learning the keyboard, writing several songs, and creating his own CD. Kurt was also a huge Miami Dolphins fan and could be found every Sunday cheering on his Fins. Kurt was a loving, caring soul with a huge heart--he made many friends over the course of his life and would strike up a conversation with anyone. He liked online gaming with friends both old and new. He was also frequently the one keeping his extended family connected. In a final act of caring, Kurt's organs were donated at his request. Kurt was preceded in death by his father, William Schlichting. He will be missed greatly by his mother, Judy Schlichting; brother Erik and spouse Vickie; brother Brian; nieces, Kristian and Anika; nephew, William; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either of the following organizations or a charity of your choice: The National Alliance on Mental Illness – www.nami.org American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - afsp.org Austin & Barnes Funeral Home & Crematory is serving the Schlichting family.