Kathryn "Kay" Overfield

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Kathryn Hamilton Jones Overfield, lovingly known as Kay, on January 1, 2026, at the age of 85. Kay was born at Vanderbilt Hospital, on Christmas Day in 1940, to the late William Reuben Jones and the late Laura Lee Lassiter Jones. She was an only child. A lifelong Nashville resident and a member of Blakemore United Methodist Church from cradle to grave, she attended Eakin Elementary and Cavert Junior High. At Cavert, she was a cheerleader and a member of the Sub Debs Club. At Hillsboro High School, where she was a Delta and a proud member of the Class of 1958, she formed close friendships, many of which lasted for her lifetime. After her graduation from Hillsboro, she studied at Peabody College at Vanderbilt University, where she was a Pi Gamma Chi and a member of the Class of 1962. While at Peabody, her dear friend, Lucy Love, set her up on a blind date with a promising young medical student, someone Lucy described as “brilliant and handsome.” That chance meeting on a blind date in 1962 resulted in a marriage of more than 62 years. On October 19, 1963, Kay married the love of her life, Dr. Ronald Edwin Overfield. For the first five years of their marriage, Kay was an elementary school teacher, first at Wade School and then at Crieve Hall School. Together, she and Ron built a beautiful family, welcoming their daughter, Laura Lee Overfield, and their son, John Covington Overfield. Kay cherished her role as a devoted wife and mother, and her family was always the center of her world. She served as a homeroom mother, Spaghetti Supper volunteer, field trip coordinator, and in every other capacity imaginable in her support of her children during their formative years. She was a very popular driver of the Ensworth hookup for her neighborhood, bringing Icees and cookies for all her passengers as she made sure that they got home safely. Her commitment to her family was always her first priority, but her commitment to making a difference in her community was very important to her as well. From serving as the Carol Chairperson for the Fannie Battle Day Home, to serving as the President of the Nashville Academy of Medicine Auxiliary, to serving in every leadership role imaginable at Blakemore United Methodist Church, Kay made a difference in the lives of everyone she encountered. In later years, she was known for her greeting card ministry. If you knew Kay, you most certainly received your fair share of birthday cards, thinking of you cards, and get-well cards over the years. Kay will be remembered for her warmth, generosity, and unwavering devotion to family and community. Kay was a member of Blakemore United Methodist Church, the NAMA Notes, the Centennial Club, and the Belle Meade Country Club.

Kay is survived by her husband, Dr. Ronald Edwin Overfield, of Nashville; her daughter and her spouse, Laura Overfield Vido and Frank W. Vido, of Plainfield, Illinois; her son and his spouse, John Covington Overfield and the Rev. Chesley A. Kennedy, III, of Greensboro, North Carolina; her granddaughter and her namesake, Kathryn Vido Bristle and spouse, John R. Bristle, of Plainfield, Illinois; her grandson, Frank William Vido, of Chicago, Illinois; her granddaughter, Emily Marguerite Vido, of Charleston, South Carolina; and her sister-in-law, Judith Overfield Jacobs, of Nashville.

A celebration of Kay’s life will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Blakemore United Methodist Church. The family will receive visitors at a reception following the service in the Fellowship Hall of the church. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a memorial donation to Blakemore United Methodist Church, 3601 West End Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37205 or to the Nashville Humane Association, 213 Oceola Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37209.