Katherine Gail McDonald's Obituary
There are lights that continue to shine even though we can’t see them. They shine in other places, in other realms and at times even more steadily, more brilliantly…
Our beautiful Kathy McDonald slipped from us on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, surrounded by her loving family after battling cancer for more than three years. Born in Nashville and raised in Madison where kids played backyard basketball and stayed outside until the streetlamps came on, Kathy enjoyed playing host to sleepovers and game days. She was an honor student who attended Middle Tennessee State University before going to work at Piedmont/USAirways for 14 years. While working for the airline she traveled to faraway lands with friends amid love and laughter during bother good times and bad. As one always open to new possibilities, Kathy surrounded herself with learning all she could and loved to “name drop” all the exotic places she visited, the things she did, people she met and the appreciation she developed for different cultures. Florence remained her favorite city. Her outlook on life was just that: seek the good, find the fun, share the joy and laughter wherever you are!
Ready to be challenged more at work, Kathy left the airlines, obtained her bachelor’s degree in Human Relations during a 22 year career with Deloitte on numerous assignments. Kathy was an avid reader and a major proponent of education and spent several years in the 90s teaching adults to read. She led a great life as a self-described Mary Tyler Moore type career girl.
Though a consummate professional, Kathy was most proud of her title as aunt to nephew Drew and nieces Ginger and AnnaLee. The joy they brought to her eclipsed everything else in her life! A close second would be her fur babies; Rockette (rip 2018) and Briley, so named for the well-known boulevard in Nashville!
Kathy was preceded in death by her father Billy Dean McDonald and brother, Marty.
She is survived by her mother, Mary McDonald; brother Dwain (Jennifer) McDonald; nephew Drew; nieces Ginger and AnnaLee
Kathy’s close friends were by her side through cancer treatments. They were by her side when she got good news and bad news. They were with her during the most challenging times of her life and listened to her cry and laugh and without judgement, let her say aloud those things we usually keep to ourselves. Her great fortune recalls a quote from Yeats: “Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends.”
We all go through this life, seeking to find its essence, trying to learn all we can and find when it’s our time to leave that nothing we’ve done has been in vain, been wasted. We hope we can leave a smile on the faces of those we love and will be remembered by the smile on our own. Kathy will be remembered for all these things along with her great laugh! Knowing her people are deeply charitable without prompting, it was her last with that in lieu of flowers, we might gather and remember all the good times spent with her and laugh!
A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, January 25, 2022 at 11:00 AM in the Historic Spring Hill Cemetery. Anyone wishing to attend is asked to meet at the funeral home at 10:40 AM.
Cremation arrangements for Kathy have been entrusted to Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5110 Gallatin Road, Nashville. A landmark since 1780, "Where Nashville Comes to Remember."
What’s your fondest memory of Katherine?
What’s a lesson you learned from Katherine?
Share a story where Katherine's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Katherine you’ll never forget.
How did Katherine make you smile?