Kay Snyder Simmons of Nashville died Nov. 12 after a long struggle with progressive supranuclear palsy, a brain disorder. She was 72.
Simmons worked as a development officer at Vanderbilt Law School as part of a long and successful career that also involved fundraising for Vanderbilt University, Vanderbilt Medical Center, Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, the University School of Nashville, Montgomery Bell Academy the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and Metro Nashville Public Schools. She was the founding executive director of the Canby Robinson Society at the Vanderbilt Medical Center and of the Dean’s Council at Vanderbilt Law School, which later became the Board of Advisors.
She also represented District 9 on the Metro Nashville Board of Public Education’s board of directors from 2009 to 2012.
An active volunteer, she served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations and government commissions, including the Land Trust for Tennessee, Greenways for Nashville, the Metro Greenways Commission, the Maddox Charitable Fund, the Adventure Science Center, Metro Parks and Recreation and the Metro Historical Commission.
She is survived by her husband, Keith Simmons ’76; her daughters Jennifer Simmons McGugin ’05 and Lauren Kay Simmons Beem; her son Barton William Simmons, and nine grandchildren ranging from ages 16 months to 13 years.