Helene Kathleen "Kathy" Owen

Helene Kathleen (“Kathy”) Owen, age 74, of Nashville, Tennessee, passed peacefully from this life on September 6, 2026. Kathy was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on February 20, 1952, to Roy and Geneva Reynolds. After the blessing of three sons in a row, her parents were surprised and delighted to welcome a daughter, and Kathy would forever be the apple of her Daddy’s eye.

 

Her childhood held memories she treasured throughout her life: the wonder of her mother’s florist shop, the distant roar of lions at the zoo, the freedom of riding her bicycle—alone!—through Central Park, dancing and “doing the twist,” and summer days by the lake with cousins at her Aunt Emogene’s house. She held a special love for her grandparents and the generations that came before, and became a keeper of family stories and memories for the generations that followed.

 

As a young adult, Kathy would follow her brother Allen to Nashville, which would become her lifelong home. There she managed a health food store and met her future husband, with whom she built a home, raised a family, and shared 50 years of marriage—a milestone they celebrated together this past May.

 

Kathy was independent, intelligent, and unafraid to go against the grain. As a young mother, she embraced the then new idea of homeschooling and educated her daughters, Jessica and Kristina, through high school. She also helped pioneer what would become the modern-day tutorial model for homeschooling families, serving as principal and teaching world geography. During those already busy years of working and homeschooling, she returned to college at Belmont University, a testament to her determination and lifelong desire to learn. She later served as executive assistant to the CEO of the Metro Transit Authority until her retirement.

 

Yet Kathy’s greatest work and greatest joy were always found in her family. She often told the story of writing “I love my family” all over the walls of her home as a little girl. Those words remained the song of her heart. She looked forward to retirement so she could become a “full-time grandmother,” and in 2018 she got her wish. She loved reading aloud, making art, playing cards and Pollyanna, building marble runs, cooking together, throwing a Frisbee, and singing with her grandchildren on the front porch swing.

 

Kathy noticed and delighted in beauty. She especially loved colourful sunsets, sunlight sparkling on water, and the sound of wind through the pines at her parents’ country home. She lovingly tended a flower garden filled with color and native pollinators and filled her porch and home with growing things—including the giant fern and croton that had belonged to her mother and continue to thrive.

 

An artist herself, Kathy created a small painting studio on her sun porch. After some time away from painting, she recently found her way back to her easel, often working late at night on unfinished pieces of tulips and beautiful skies. She had even begun studying palette-knife painting, still curious, still learning, and looking forward to trying something new.

 

Kathy also cherished what she called “down time:” quiet hours on the porch swing, reading her Bible or a good book, an afternoon nap or movie, long phone calls with loved ones, or working a puzzle with Jim. She treasured most the simple things—home, family, beauty, learning, creating, and time together.

 

Across the years, Kathy found fellowship at The Lord’s Chapel, Belmont Church, and finally First Southern Methodist Church. Through all the seasons of her life, her faith in a kind and loving God remained constant and His faithfulness to her upheld her through the fiercest storms. She would often sing the phrase “I don’t know about tomorrow, but I know who holds my hand.” In the last weeks of her life, she often commented that, though she was sad to leave her loved ones behind, she was eager to be with the Lord.

 

Kathy is survived by her husband, James (“Jim”) Owen Sr.; her brother, Allen Reynolds (Marie Coz); her daughters, Jessica Owen-Bleu (James Reid II), and Kristina Quiram (Jason); her beloved stepson, James (“Jim”) Owen Jr.; her beloved stepdaughter, Kelly Owen; nine celebrated and adored grandchildren; and her elderly and much-loved dog, Bella. She was preceded in death by her parents, Roy and Geneva Reynolds; her brothers, Tim Reynolds and Mike Reynolds; her sister-in-law Karen Reynolds, and her daughter-in-law, Hollye Cotton Owen.

 

A funeral service celebrating Kathy’s life will be held Saturday, September 19, 2026, at First Southern Methodist Church. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m., with the service beginning at 1:00 p.m. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. at Harpeth Hills Memorial Gardens.