Kathryn Kothman Weedon

Kathy was born in Portsmouth, Ohio, to Cyril and Mary Gertrude Kothman and came to Jacksonville at age 7. Her family moved five doors away from the boy who would become her most cherished friend, beginning in third grade together at Assumption School. After 18 years of friendship and double dating with other people, they realized their once-in-a-lifetime love was for one another and were married. That 51-year union survives her death.

Kathy attended Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama, graduating summa cum laude. In her junior year, she was selected as a Fulbright Scholar to study that entire year at Loyola University Rome, Italy, introducing her to a lifelong love of Italian culture and language. After college, Kathy, anxious to return to Rome, worked for Pan American World Airways using her language skills in Italian and French and travelled all over the world.

In 1974, she and Jerry married and moved to Gainesville, where he attended law school. After “their” graduation, three children, Lauren, Jamey, and John, were happily welcomed within 38 months top to bottom, and the adventure kicked into high gear!

Kathy was a marvelous mother, totally devoted to her family as a homeroom mom, picture mom, chief cheerleader, and loving confidante.

After the children were established in school, Kathy began another “career” as a committed volunteer. She was President of the Junior League of Jacksonville and President of the YWCA when it changed its name to Community Connections. She is a graduate of Leadership Jacksonville and served on its board. She was a member of the Women’s Board of the Wolfson Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Antique Show’s Loan Exhibit, during which she was liaison and hostess to its guest speaker and exhibit curator, a little-known but successful caterer from Connecticut— named Martha Stewart. She went on to Chair the Opening Night Party of the Antique Show and served on the Executive Committee and as VP of the Board.

After her leadership in volunteer endeavors, Kathy began a new career. She was head of corporate sales for the Bausch and Lomb Women’s Tennis Tournament at Amelia Island. She then joined the Jacksonville Magazine and for over 30 years worked as its associate editor, community relations director, social columnist, and proofreader.

Kathy was invested as a Dame in the Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 2005 and made many trips to Lourdes, France, bringing the sick to the grotto of Our Lady in Lourdes. She served the Diocese of St. Augustine as a member of the Diocesan School Advisory Board and for 9 years was on the board of Bishop Kenny High School, her alma mater and that of her children and husband. She volunteered for many years at the St. Francis Soup Kitchen.

In addition, she was an avid, accomplished tennis player and a Gator and Jaguar fan.

No matter what Kathy did or where she did it, her finest quality was kindness. She was in a word spectacular, but the word hardly does her justice. Her family thanks God she was our wife and our mom.

She is survived by her husband Jerry and their children: Lauren, Jamey (Katie), and John (Brooke), nine loving and attentive grandchildren whom she adored: Ben, Luke, and Paul Hopkins, Allie, Will, Megan, Jake, Beau, and Liza Dailey Weedon, her sister and brother-in-law, Anne and Carl Albanese of Cincinnati, Ohio, sisters-in-law, Marla Weedon of Amelia Island and Kathy Weedon of Jacksonville, nieces and nephews , and many, many friends: a large and loving family.

A Mass in celebration of Kathy’s life will be held on August 9, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at Assumption Catholic Church, Jacksonville, where she was a daily communicant. The family will receive friends at 9:30 a.m.

Special thanks to Team Kathy: Luz Marina Ocampo and Arline Diaz for their devotion to our wife and mom. Also, thanks to Community Hospice, namely Austin and Vinnie.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Weedon Family Scholarship Fund, Bishop Kenny High School, Jacksonville.