Kathryn Leigh Hearne

HEARNE, Kathryn Leigh Of Nashville, passed away at home on August 27, 2009 at the age of 57. Kathy was born in 1952 in Lockwood, MO. Her father, Rev. Malcolm C. Hearne and her grandparents preceded her in death. She is survived by her mother, Leona Hearne of Kansas City, MO; husband, Stephen Downey of Nashville; daughter, Brenna Downey of St. Louis, MO; brothers and sisters-in-law, Gary Hearne and Ann Brittenum of Kansas City, MO, Gregory and Sheila Hearne of Falls Creek, VA, Jeffrey and Wendy Hearne of Little Rock, AR and sister-in-law, Anne Downey of Philadelphia. Her aunt, Mary Glenn Hearne of Nashville and cousin, Lee Ann Hearne of Dallas, TX also survives her. She leaves her special cousin, Mary Lynne (Hearne) Campbell, her husband, Don Campbell, and their daughter Lindsey of Alpharetta, GA. She is survived by Ben Probst of St. Louis, and beloved nieces and nephews, Jules, Penelope, John Mills, Meggan, Joshua, Mikayla and Harrison Malcolm Hearne, as well as Mercedes (Hearne) and Derek Stevenson; great niece, Alyssa Stevenson and nephew, Guy Downey Bayan. She says good-bye to many special friends across the U.S., all the wonderful people at Gilda's Club and at Tennessee Oncology, especially Dr. Anthony Meluch. Kathy graduated from Hendrix College in Conway, AR with a Bachelor of Arts in 1974, and earned a Master of Social Work from the University of Tennessee School of Social Work in 1977. Kathy's life was rooted in the principles of social justice and service to others. She was a tireless advocate for the disenfranchised and outcast; she was the spark behind numerous community programs in Nashville and across Tennessee. Kathy lived her commitment to others. She was a stead-fast friend who welcomed many different people into her life and touched them all in pro-found but gentle ways. She was as selfless with her friends and family as she was in her commitment to social justice. She lived her principles fiercely, in her own way. Kathy is the former administrator of the Center for Health Services at Vanderbilt University, which developed many community health clinics that flourish today. She held executive director positions at the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, the Tennessee Hunger Coalition and the Tennessee Network for Community Economic Development. She was vice-president of Organization Development at Alive Hospice, where she was project manager for the building of the residential hospice facility. She was Development Director at the Tennessee Justice Center and Coordinator of the Respite Care Providers Network of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council. She consulted with many non-profits on matters of organizational development, administration, and advocacy, often on a volunteer basis. Kathy co-founded the Rape and Sexual Abuse Center (now the Sexual Assault Center), Reconciliation Ministries, the Nashville Housing Fund, the YWCA Domestic Violence Program, and Mountain House (Marion, VA). Kathy often laughingly referred to herself as a non-profit entrepreneur. She volunteered at Sylvan Park Paideia School, the Low Income Housing Forum, the YWCA, Father Ryan High School and the Nashville Ulster Project. She served as a Board member of Project Return, Reconciliation Ministries, the Rape and Sexual Abuse Center, Tennesseans Against the Death Penalty and Nashville Housing Fund. Kathy was an accomplished photogra-pher who attended Watkins College of Art & Design in Nashville, and a passionate film buff who served regularly as a film screener and volunteer for the Nashville Film Festival. A service celebrating her life will be held at 4 p.m. Saturday, September 5, 2009 at the home of friends, 1904 Fatherland Street, Nashville, TN 37206. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to Homeplace, a community-based support program for people with disabilities. Send contributions to Homeplace, c/o Belmont United Methodist Church, 2007 Acklen Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212. Arrangements by WEST HARPETH FUNERAL HOME, (615) 352-9400.