Mary Kathleen Overbey

Kathy died peacefully in her sleep on Saturday evening, August 12. Kathy’s courage and bravery over the past ten years as she battled a brain tumor have been an inspiration. She never complained once throughout the ordeal. She will be sorely missed by her very large extended family, especially by Lorna Overbey, who had the privilege of being her mother and her very best friend. Kathy was born in Midland, Texas, on November 14, 1956. Her father, John Kirkwood Overbey, was a landman in the oil business and a partner of George H. W. Bush. After grade school in Midland, Kathy attended high school at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, California, for two years and then graduated from The Colorado Springs School for Girls. A wonderful math teacher there inspired Kathy to ultimately choose Computer Science as her college major at a time when few women elected that field of study. She graduated from Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, with a Bachelor of Science degree, and later worked for Electronic Data Systems in Detroit, Michigan. In 1994, Kathy moved to Austin to join her father and her brother, Kirk, in their investment and securities business. As a young girl, horses were Kathy’s passion and she grew into a fine horsewoman. She immensely enjoyed the outdoors, once biking 500 miles which included a trek to the top of Pike’s Peak in Colorado. Kathy and Lorna also loved to travel, taking cruises to points all over the globe. Kathy’s favorite destinations were Barcelona and Venice, followed closely by "bed and breakfast hopping" through the British Isles. Even though she could not carry a tune, Kathy was fond of music and "knew the words to all the songs." She had a very dry sense of humor and was a particular fan of British comedy. When she laughed it was contagious. Kathy is survived by her mother, Lorna, and her large and loving family: Susan Overbey, Kirk and Lisa Overbey, Susie and Karl Locker, Sally and Brad Robb, Daniel and Debra Gifford, Charlie and Liz Gifford, O’Shea and Chris Gifford, Dorothy Overbey, and 17 nieces and nephews. Kathy was preceded in death by her nephew, John William Overbey, her father, John, and her canine companion of 17 years, Bodacious. Kathy’s family will gather for a private memorial this weekend. Her family extends their thanks and appreciation to the doctors and staff of M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and the St. David’s Rehabilitation Center in Austin. Instead of flowers, Kathy wished to have donations made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 332 N. Lauderdale, Memphis, TN, 38105 (www.stjude.org), or the Best Friends Animal Society, 5001 Angel Canyon Road, Kanab, UT, 84741 (www.bestfriends.org), which rescued thousands of pets after Hurricane Katrina. Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com