Kay Stone

Kay Elizabeth Stone was born on February 8, 1952, in Key West, FL to John King Stone and Pearl Tillman Stone. She spent most of her childhood in the swamps of Clay County, FL with her wild little sister Janet Gail Stone-Erdman, currently of NC. In those swamps, she learned to barrel race, and to wrangle horses, alligators, snakes, armadillos, and violent drunks.

From this environment of danger and fear, school proved a refuge, and Kay leaned in with enthusiasm, graduating from Clay High (1970, Valedictorian) and Berry College (1974, magna cum laude). Her experience was very different when she attended seminary, her joyful discipleship to Jesus’ crashing head on with the judgement, condemnation, arrogance, and intolerance of the fundamentalists she came to know as the American Taliban. It was during this time Kay developed her own theology that defined her faith for the rest of her life: 1. God is. 2. God loves us. 3. God wants us to love one another. 4. Sometimes, miracles happen. Kay found her particular faith accepted in the United Methodist Church, and she was a faithful member for the last 50 years of her life.

Romantic love was challenging for Kay. Due to her own poor judgement and profoundly misplaced trust, Kay faced life-changing betrayal, unbelievable breaking of vows and promises, and much misplaced love. It was time of turmoil and sorrow. However, Kay did manage to bring forth children who are a source of pride, happy delight, and joy: Robert Donigian (Ashburn, VA), Elizabeth Donigian (Nashville, TN), and George Donigian, Jr. (Frederick, MD), and to her utter amazement, 5 grandchildren.

Just when love seemed an impossible dream, Kay’s entire life changed, and all her wishes for love were fulfilled when she and Donald R. Dodson combined their lives to create their own world. Don and Kay embraced the belief that “it’s never too late to live happily ever after,” which they did for the rest of Kay’s life.

Kay’s work life took her through a variety of fields. Although she always claimed to be an “earth mother,” supporting herself and her children required more than that. Kay worked as a minister, a social worker, and a teacher before going back to school and becoming a CPA. Much of her CPA career was spent at Vanderbilt University. After leaving Vanderbilt, Kay was finally able to fulfil her earth mother dreams and she and Don built a business in Mount Pleasant, TN restoring old homes. It was a dream come true for both of them and Kay really loved all the DIY, as well as creating beauty and safety for others as the homes were transformed. This creative, nurturing work was supplemented by other joys in gardening and landscaping, cooking for and entertaining friends and family, and playing with her dad’s 1970 F-100. Consequently, for 6 months of the year, Kay’s house was a jungle of plants being “wintered over.”

In the end, Kay’s own pancreas turned on her, and took her out on December 17, 2025. At Kay’s insistence, she has been cremated and there will be no memorial service.

Williams Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences can be given to the family at Williamsfh.com