Who Is Katherine Berkery? The Woman Behind Tom Jones’ Son

Katherine Berkery’s name often appears in stories about Tom Jones, but she has kept a very private life. She worked as a model in the 1980s, later moved into real estate, and chose to live away from the spotlight after the court case. Most public reports say she still lives in the United States and prefers privacy. Because she keeps a low profile, only limited, verifiable details are available today.

Fact	Details
Full name	Katherine Berkery
Known for	Mother of Tom Jones’ son, Jonathan Berkery
Born	1963 (reported); born in Korea, adopted in the U.S. (reports)
Nationality / ethnicity	Korean-American; of Asian descent (reports)
Early life	Adopted by a wealthy New Jersey couple (reports)
Career highlights	Former model; later worked in real estate (reports)
Link to Tom Jones	Brief relationship in October 1987 in New York
Child	Jonathan (Jonathan “Jon” Jones) Berkery, born June 27, 1988
Court ruling	1989 New York Family Court paternity ruling; child support ordered by Judge Judith Sheindlin
Where is she today?	Lives a private life in the United States (reported)

Early Life and Background (What is known)

Reliable mainstream coverage about Katherine’s childhood is very limited because she has not done interviews in recent years. Several secondary profiles say she was born in Korea in 1963 and adopted by a New Jersey family at age eight, which would explain why she is often described as Korean-American. These details are repeated across many bios but are not confirmed in primary records that are publicly available.

What we can say with confidence is this: by the late 1980s, Katherine was working as a model in New York. This is consistent with how the press later described her during the paternity suit involving Tom Jones.

The 1987 Meeting with Tom Jones

In October 1987, Tom Jones was touring in the United States. Multiple sources describe a brief relationship with Katherine during that visit to New York. Later, a DNA test confirmed that Jones was the father of Katherine’s child, Jonathan.

This short relationship became major tabloid news only after their son’s birth the following year. Most coverage agrees on the timing: meeting in 1987; baby born in 1988.

The 1989 Family Court Ruling

The most clearly documented part of Katherine’s story is the 1989 paternity case in New York Family Court. On July 14, 1989, Judge Judith B. Sheindlin (who later became famous as TV’s “Judge Judy”) ruled that Tom Jones was the father of the one-year-old Jonathan. Reports at the time noted an initial $200 per week in child support while the case was active. Soon after, the parties settled; later reporting indicates that Jones agreed to ongoing child support (figures mentioned in some sources include $33,500 annually, paid monthly).

Mainstream coverage also recorded the contentious nature of the fight. Attorneys had reached a tentative support agreement in New York, quoting sharp comments made outside court. These details show how public and stressful this moment was for Katherine.

After the Case: A Quiet Path

Following the court ruling, Katherine stepped back from publicity. Across the years, the media focus shifted mostly to Tom Jones and to Jonathan, who tried music under the name Jon Jones / Jonathan Berkery and sometimes spoke to the press about wanting contact with his father. Coverage as recent as 2024 still says Tom and Jonathan had not met, although social media rumors sometimes claim otherwise.

As for Katherine herself, several bios say she worked in real estate and continues to live in the United States. Because these are lifestyle profiles rather than official records, treat them as reported facts. None of the mainstream outlets provide fresh, detailed updates about her present job, city, or family life, a sign that she values privacy and has stayed out of public view.

What “Katherine Berkery Today” Realistically Means

When readers search “Katherine Berkery today,” they often want to know: Where is she? What is she doing now? The honest answer is that public, verifiable updates are scarce. Most reliable sources focus on the 1989 court ruling and Tom Jones’s later public comments. For example, Jones’s biography notes he denied the court finding for years and only admitted paternity in 2008, yet still showed no interest in a relationship with Jonathan.

More recent tabloid roundups about Tom Jones’ family life continue to describe Jonathan as estranged and born from a short relationship with model Katherine Berkery. They do not add new, reliable detail about Katherine’s current daily life. So, the best practice for an accurate article in 2025 is to avoid guessing and state clearly that she leads a private life in the U.S.

Timeline at a Glance

• 1963 (reported): Katherine is born in Korea; later adopted by a family in New Jersey (reported).
• 1987 (October): Meets Tom Jones in New York during his U.S. tour; a brief relationship follows.
• 1988 (June 27): Jonathan Berkery is born.
• 1989 (July–September): New York Family Court rules Jones is the father; child support ordered by Judge Judith Sheindlin; settlement reached later that year.
• 2008: Jones publicly admits paternity but expresses no wish to meet Jonathan.
• 2024–2025: Media pieces continue to reference the case; reliable outlets still describe Katherine as living privately in the U.S.

Katherine’s Public Image vs. Private Reality

It is easy for the public to reduce Katherine’s life to a single headline: “Tom Jones’ baby’s mother.” But even that label can be misleading or unfair. The court case happened in the intense glare of late-1980s tabloid culture. Old stories quoted harsh claims from both sides. Over time, though, Katherine chose not to stay in the news. That choice, to remain private, is itself meaningful. It suggests she wanted to protect her own life and her son’s life, away from the cycle of celebrity coverage.

From an ethical writing point of view, the most respectful and accurate way to cover “Katherine Berkery today” is to state what is verified, mark any “reported” details as such, and avoid publishing sensitive personal info that she has not shared herself.

Relationship to Tom Jones and to Jonathan

Katherine’s connection to Tom Jones is a matter of public record because of the court ruling. But the day-to-day relationship after that is not fully documented. What we do know is:

• The court confirmed paternity in 1989 and child support followed.
• Tom Jones’s public bios say he admitted the court’s finding in 2008, after denying it for years.
• Reports continue to say Tom and Jonathan have not met (as of 2024 coverage). Social posts claiming a reunion are not reliable.

As for Katherine and Jonathan’s private family life, there is no reliable, detailed, current reporting, which again shows how carefully Katherine has kept out of view.

Work and Life After Modeling

Many secondary biographies say Katherine later worked in real estate. This line appears in several profiles, but there is no single, definitive, on-record interview that confirms a specific broker license, office, or locations under her name. Because there are many “Katherine/Kathy” real-estate profiles in New Jersey and New York, it’s important not to mis-identify someone else as Katherine Berkery. For that reason, this article treats the real-estate career detail as reported, not confirmed by primary documents.

What We Can Say “Today”

• She is alive and is reported to live a quiet life in the United States.
• There is no verified, public 2025 interview from Katherine; she does not maintain a public persona.
• When writing about her, rely on the 1989 court record and mainstream summaries for the core facts, and avoid speculation.

Final Thoughts

Writing about “Katherine Berkery today” means balancing public curiosity with respect for privacy. The core facts, 1987 relationship, 1988 birth, 1989 court ruling, and Tom Jones’s later admission, are well documented. Beyond that, there is not much verified detail about Katherine’s current life, and that is by her choice. A fair, human story recognizes that she raised a son under media pressure, then stepped away to build a quieter life.

10 Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is Katherine Berkery Tom Jones’ wife?
   No. She is not his wife. She had a brief relationship with him in 1987 and is the mother of his son, Jonathan. Tom Jones was married to Linda Trenchard from 1957 until her death in 2016.
2. When was Katherine’s son born?
   June 27, 1988.
3. Did a court confirm Tom Jones is the father?
   Yes. In July 1989, New York Family Court Judge Judith Sheindlin ruled Tom Jones was the father and ordered child support; the case later settled.
4. Did Tom Jones later admit paternity?
   Yes. His biography notes he admitted the court’s finding in 2008, but he indicated no interest in meeting Jonathan.
5. Where is Katherine Berkery today?
   Reports say she lives in the United States and keeps a private life. There are no recent, verified interviews.
6. What is her background?
   Several bios report she was born in Korea in 1963 and adopted by a New Jersey family.
7. What did she do for work?
   She worked as a model in the 1980s. Many profiles say she later worked in real estate.
8. Did Tom Jones and Jonathan ever meet?
   Coverage as late as 2024 says they have not met.
9. Why is Judge Judy’s name in this story?
   Before her TV fame, Judge Judith Sheindlin served in New York Family Court and presided over the 1989 paternity ruling involving Tom Jones and Katherine.
10. Is there any new information about Katherine in 2025?
    No verified new interviews or public records have surfaced. Responsible sources still describe her as living privately in the U.S.

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