Patricia Kathleen “Kathy” Jones

April 7, 1945 – September 17, 2026

Patricia Kathleen “Kathy” Jones passed away peacefully on September 17, 2026, at the age of 81, leaving behind a lifetime of memories, laughter, stories, and a family who will forever remember her larger-than-life personality.

Kathy was born on April 7, 1945, in Logan, Ohio, to Victor and Grace Rieder. She was raised in Ohio before making her way to Daytona Beach, Florida, in the 1960s, beginning a new chapter in the state she would call home for the rest of her life.

She married Donald Melvin Jones, with whom she built a family and shared many years of life and memories. Donald preceded her in death, as did Kathy’s parents, Victor and Grace, and her beloved fur baby, Bree.

Those who knew Kathy knew there was rarely a quiet moment when she was around. She possessed the unmistakable “gift of gab,” and it served her well throughout her career as a cosmetologist and hairstylist in Ormond Beach and Winter Park. Her chair was undoubtedly a place for much more than haircuts—it was a place for conversation, stories, laughter, friendship, and probably a little good-natured gossip along the way.

There was a reason so many friends affectionately called her “Chatty Kathy.” If you weren’t laughing within the first few minutes of a conversation with her, chances were Kathy already was.

She loved crafts, spending time with friends and family, and simply having fun. Kathy lived life exuberantly—and occasionally excessively. She was often the life of the party, sometimes without realizing that she was the party.

Life also tested Kathy’s remarkable spirit. Even through difficult chapters, she retained the humor and personality that made her unforgettable. She could find laughter in places where others might not have found it, and that ability remained one of her greatest gifts.

Kathy leaves behind her sons, Dean (Christina) Jones and Brian (Erica) Jones.

She was a proud grandmother to Dylan Jones (Sofia), Justin Jones, Chaz Menzie, Chase Menzie, Taylor, Parker, Lillia, and Emmeline, and a great-grandmother to Josephine, Camden, Lillian, and Deon.

She also leaves behind an extended family of nieces and nephews, including Todd Jones, Kelly (Jones) Shelton, Susan (Jones) Buckner, Bill Jones, Tammy (Jones) Anderson, and Tom Jones, along with lifelong friends whose lives were made a little louder, funnier, and more colorful simply by knowing her.

Perhaps the best way to understand Kathy is to say that she lived a wild, crazy, imperfect, funny, and beautiful life—and she lived it on her own terms. She loved to laugh, loved to talk, and loved being surrounded by people.

In recent years, as dementia began taking away pieces of the woman everyone knew so well, her family held tightly to the memories of the vibrant Kathy who had filled so many rooms with laughter.

Now, Mom and Dad are together again.

Those closest to Kathy will understand when we say that she simply followed the party. To her, so many of the people who had made that party special were no longer here.

We can only imagine the reunion taking place now—and knowing Kathy, heaven just became a little louder and a lot more entertaining.

Rest in peace, Mom. We will miss your laughter, your stories, your unmistakable personality, and most of all, you.

At Kathy’s request, there will be no formal celebration-of-life ceremony. Her family asks instead that those who knew and loved her remember her in the way she would have appreciated most: share a story, have a laugh, enjoy the people around you, and make life a little more fun.