Kim Litkenhaus Marino

Kim Litkenhaus Marino laid down her last beat on April 12, 2025.

If you knew Kim, you knew her laugh. You knew her generosity, her kindness and compassion. You knew her love of the theme song from the 80’s sitcom Alice and her constant submissions to The Family Handyman “tips and tricks” section. You knew what size her kidney stones were last week and that she was mildly obsessed with the band Metric and The Golden Girls. You knew she was one hell of a musician. But Kim didn’t just write music, for many of her friends she wrote the soundtrack to their 20’s. She created a new language for them to express themselves.

And that was maybe Kim’s greatest gift, being a creator. Nothing was more Kim than making something. Something out of nothing. Something out of someone’s discarded something else. If the sun was too bright, she would make a sun visor from a paper plate. If you were friends with Kim, chances are, you have something she Frankensteined just for you. And will cherish it always. She painted. She drew. She built. She wrote, constantly. Volumes of stories and poems and love notes. But the best thing Kim ever created was a feeling. The feeling of being loved. The feeling of care and connection. The feeling of belonging to her community. The feeling of you, being her people. That feeling was the magic of Kim.

In 2007, Kim started her own business, HausworkRVA. It was her chance to funnel her wild mind and passion for repurposing into creating one of a kind living spaces. Over the years she grew from painting rooms, to complete home renovations, leaving her unique stamp on everything she touched.

In her just over 50 years on this earth, Kim was in almost that many bands. From her punk kid days of Stop, Drop and Roll to her last few years with Get In The Car and Slurry. Each iteration grew and evolved her style and her fan base. These bands served as a constant back drop to her life and an endless source of tshirts.

The last three years of Kim’s life she spent enraptured by her love, Birdie Fyffe. Anyone who had the privilege of spending time with the two of them, knew exactly how deeply Kim loved her. Birdie also brought into Kim’s life her four beautiful children, Micheal, Kyle, Josie and Buster. Birdie’s kids weren’t just part of Kim’s life—they became part of her. They made her laugh, kept her on her toes, gave her a new perspective on life. They changed her, softened her in the best way, and expanded the love she had to give. Kim didn’t just fall in love with Birdie—she fell in love with a whole family. And that ultimately brought her a new sense of peace.

Kim also leaves behind a universe of grateful friends, chosen family, and countless souls (human and animal) changed for the better. Kim was preceded in death by her father Howard C. Litkenhaus. She is survived by her beloved mother Gloria, her sister Karen and her husband, one niece, one nephew and too many loving aunts, uncles and cousins to list! Kim is also survived by her cherished companion, her beloved dog Winnie, who brought immense joy and comfort to her life.

In honor of Kim, we invite you to crank up the volume, help someone who needs it, fix something that's broken and love each other fiercely. Kim will live on in each of us and in every laugh, every note, and every act of kindness we pass forward. And we all hope that all the crap she learned in this life, maybe a sewer rat could use next time.

Modify Everything: A Life Celebration of Kim will be held May 24, 2025 at Babe’s of Carytown from 12pm-4pm. There will be food, music, stories, laughs, tears and enough Miller 64 for everyone. Throw on a band tee-shirt and bring something Kim made you to create a space covered in Kim’s legacy of creating.

Please leave memories and condolences for Kim's family in the Guestbook below.

Care entrusted to Tranquility Cremation by Aquamation - 2209 Delaney Avenue Wilmington, NC 28403 910.769.1615