Kathryn Jones Audley

Kathryn "Kay" Audley, born on October 21, 1946, in Bamberg, South Carolina, passed away peacefully in Reading, Massachusetts, on January 23, 2025, at the age of 78. She was the beloved daughter of R. Mendell and Kathryn Whittle Jones (Charleston, SC) and the youngest of four sisters.

As a child, Kay's family moved to Edgewater Park in Charleston, South Carolina, where she grew up and attended school. She later met David Audley, a cadet at The Citadel in Charleston, and they married, raising three children-Christopher, Daniel, and Whitney-while moving between Air Force base postings. Their marriage ended after 25 years, and she moved to Quitman, Texas, where she would have support from her sister Peggy.

Kay's time in Texas was among the happiest periods of her life. She moved to a small four-acre "ranch" where she cared for her many dogs, several horses that she and Whitney enjoyed riding, and assorted animals, including barn cats and, at one point, pygmy goats. She became active in the singles group at the First Baptist Church in Quitman, which became like a second family to her and Whitney. They were regulars at Tuesday night potluck dinners and spent many evenings playing the domino game "Chicken Foot." She also took multiple camping trips with the group, including a memorable horseback riding trip to Colorado that she fondly recalled for years.

After leaving Texas, Kay returned to Charleston, settling in West Ashley with Whitney. She rekindled her lifelong friendship with Brenda, a childhood friend with whom she had stayed close throughout her years moving across the country. Together with Brenda's husband, Brian, they enjoyed countless evenings filled with good meals and conversation. Kay also embraced her love of travel, purchasing a camper trailer and taking trips across the South, visiting friends in Texas and vacationing in places like Myrtle Beach.

Kay was a devoted mother and homemaker, known for her kind and generous spirit, infectious sense of humor, and ability to light up any room. She found immense joy in caring for animals, sharing laughter with loved ones, and making her famous holiday fudge-an annual tradition that brought warmth to family and friends. More than anything, she was a loving and dedicated mother, always putting her children first.

In the spring of 2021 Kay's lifelong best friend Brenda succumbed to long illness, and in January 2024, Kay suffered the heartbreaking loss of her beloved daughter Whitney after a long battle with cancer. Feeling the absence of the close family and friends she had once known in Charleston, she moved to Reading, Massachusetts, to live with her eldest son, Christopher, until her passing.

Kay will be remembered for her deep love of family, her kindness, and her unwavering belief in those she loved. She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Whitney (Charleston, SC); her sisters, Margaret Crosby (Dallas, TX) and Judy Burns (Atlanta, GA); her parents, R. Mendel and Kathryn Jones (Charleston, SC); and her lifelong best friend, Brenda Canady (Charleston, SC). She leaves behind her sons, Christopher and his wife Susan (Reading, MA), and Daniel (Charlotte, NC); her grandchildren, Evan and Ryan (Reading, MA); her sister, Carol Newman (Birmingham, AL); and many friends and loved ones who will cherish her memory.

A Graveside Service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on February 7, 2025 at Live Oak Memorial Gardens in Charleston, SC, where family and friends will gather to celebrate her life.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Charleston Animal Society, 2455 Remount Rd, N. Charleston, SC-a tribute to her lifelong love of animals.

Arrangements by James A. McAlister Funeral Home.