Kay Flynt Horrell, age 77, passed away peacefully on September 25, 2025, while visiting her beloved cottage in Stanton, England, nestled in the Cotswolds countryside.
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, to Jenelle and John Flynt, Kay grew up with a love of art, design, and the creative spirit that would shape her life and those around her. She graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts and began her career as an art educator in Athens, Georgia. She later moved to Nashville and devoted herself to the family business, Gus Mayer, working alongside her father with poise and grace.
In 1977, Kay met her future husband, Stephen Henry Horrell. They married in 1984 and welcomed the birth of their only daughter, Sara Darby Smith, in 1986. Steve and Kay’s marriage was one marked by partnership, adventure, and generosity. Their shared love of travel and people eventually drew them to summer in the Cotswolds, where they restored Flynt Stone Cottage, found serenity, and cultivated friendships that spanned continents.
Kay’s elegance was never performative but entirely effortless. She carried a quiet sophistication into every part of her life—her home, her style, her design, and her relationships. For those who knew her, design was not just her passion but her gift. She carried that gift with quiet confidence, never forcing beauty, but simply bringing it forth.
She was quietly spiritual, sensing her closest connection to God in the stillness of the Cotswolds landscape. Kay gave generously of her time and talents, supporting organizations that nurtured creativity in the arts and ensured access to life’s most essential securities.
Kay valued the depth of genuine relationships and cultivated them across the globe with honesty, openness, and loyalty. Kay spoke her mind plainly and sought true meaning in the relationships she built. To know her was to experience warmth, candor, and generosity that made others feel seen and cherished.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jenelle and John Flynt; her parents-in-law, Kathleen and Henry Horrell; and her husband, Steve, who passed away in April 2023.
She is survived by her cherished daughter, Sara Darby Smith, and her much-loved son-in-law, Elliott Smith; her brother, Bob (Jill) Flynt, and brother-in-law, Fred Horrell, and their families; and many dear friends here and abroad.
Kay was not one to linger on sentiment, yet she left no doubt about the importance of beauty, conviction, and connection. She taught us—by living it—that a life of true richness is measured not by possessions or accolades, but by the grace you extend and the people you love.
A celebration of Kay’s life will be held in the Gabhart Chapel of the Janet Ayers Academic Center, located at Belmont University, 1501 Wedgewood Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at 3:00 p.m., with visitation with the family beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Parking is available in the underground parking garage of the Janet Ayers Academic Center.
Guests are invited to visit, at their leisure, the Steve Horrell Vista Green located on the 5th floor of the Jack C Massey Center, and witness the view overlooking the Belmont grounds and downtown Nashville that Kay found so dear.
Contributions in memory of Kay may be made to: Belmont University (in memory of Kay Flynt Horrell), Belmont University, Fidelity Hall (11500), 1900 Belmont Boulevard, Nashville, Tennessee 37212.
To leave a condolence or share a memory of Kay, please visit the Tribute Wall. https://www.austinfuneralservice.com
For more obituaries, visit https://davidsoncountysource.com/obituaries/
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