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Katherine Berkery is a Korean-American former model and real estate agent who gained public attention after a brief 1987 affair with singer Tom Jones resulted in a son, Jonathan. A subsequent paternity lawsuit confirmed Jones as the father, though he has never met his son.
Katherine Berkery is a former model and real estate agent who came into the spotlight following her brief relationship with Welsh singer Tom Jones. Born in 1963, she is 61 years old as of 2024. Despite her connection to one of music’s most recognizable names, Katherine has deliberately maintained a low profile, choosing privacy over publicity even when her personal life became tabloid fodder.
Her story represents more than just a celebrity scandal. It’s a narrative about resilience, single motherhood under extraordinary circumstances, and the lasting consequences of a three-day encounter that changed multiple lives forever.
Katherine was born in Korea in 1963. Her early childhood took a significant turn when, at eight years old, she was adopted by a wealthy couple from New Jersey, United States. This transatlantic move from Asia to America shaped her understanding of identity and family—themes that would later define her own experience as a mother.
Details about her biological parents and the circumstances of her adoption remain private, which is consistent with how Katherine has approached her personal life throughout adulthood. Her adoptive parents provided her with opportunities that eventually led to her career in the competitive world of modeling. The experience of being adopted likely gave Katherine a unique perspective on what it means to belong and be claimed by family—a perspective that would prove painfully relevant when her own son faced rejection from his biological father.
Katherine began her modeling career in the 1980s, working on runways in Milan, Paris, and New York City. This was an era when the fashion industry was expanding globally, and Katherine carved out her place among the aspiring models competing in these fashion capitals.
Beyond the runway, she also worked as a shipping clerk at Regine’s nightclub in New York, demonstrating the hustle required to make it in New York’s expensive and competitive environment. Her dual roles reflected the reality of many models during that period—balancing glamorous work with practical employment to sustain themselves.
After her modeling career, Katherine transitioned into real estate, finding a new professional path that offered more stability. In 2006, she made a brief appearance in a short film called “Picture Perfect,” playing the role of a club girl, though acting never became a sustained pursuit.
In October 1987, Katherine met Tom Jones at a nightclub in New York. The circumstances were typical of many celebrity encounters—a chance meeting in a social setting where worlds briefly collided. Katherine was 24 years old at the time, while Tom Jones was 47. The Welsh singer was at the height of his fame, touring the United States and enjoying the perks that came with celebrity status.
What Katherine didn’t know during their initial conversation was that Tom Jones was already married to his wife, Linda. The singer, charmed by the young model, invited Katherine to attend his performance the following evening.
After Tom’s show, the two had dinner together and then spent the night at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Manhattan. What followed was a brief romantic encounter that lasted approximately three days. For Tom Jones, this was likely one of many fleeting relationships during his tours. At the peak of his fame, Jones admitted to having slept with approximately 250 women annually.
For Katherine, however, this brief affair would alter the entire trajectory of her life. Three months after their encounter, she discovered she was pregnant. When she attempted to contact Tom Jones to inform him of the pregnancy, his response through an aide was dismissive, reportedly telling her to handle the situation herself.
Katherine’s son, Jonathan Berkery, was born on June 27, 1988. What should have been a joyful beginning was instead marked by denial and legal conflict. Tom Jones initially denied that Jonathan was his child, refusing to accept paternity despite Katherine’s claims.
Faced with his rejection, Katherine took the matter to court in 1989. The legal proceedings attracted significant media attention, thrusting Katherine unwillingly into the public eye. A judge ordered Tom Jones to undergo a DNA test, and the results proved he was Jonathan’s biological father.
The court ordered Tom Jones to pay $1,700 per month in child support until Jonathan reached 18 years of age. While Jones complied with the financial obligation, he made his position clear: he wanted nothing more to do with his son. Tom Jones stated that the pregnancy “wasn’t something I had planned,” adding that if he had planned it, he would have done more than just provide financially.
His claim that he was “trapped” by Katherine sparked controversy and revealed the power imbalance inherent in such situations. Here was a wealthy, famous man reducing his responsibility to monthly payments, while Katherine bore the full weight of raising a child alone.
Katherine’s experience as a single mother was complicated by the public nature of Jonathan’s parentage. Every playground conversation, every school enrollment, every moment of her son’s childhood carried the shadow of his famous absent father. Yet Katherine chose dignity over bitterness, focusing on providing Jonathan with as normal a life as possible under extraordinary circumstances.
She retreated from public view, declining interview requests and avoiding the spotlight that could have brought her brief fame or financial opportunities. This decision reflected her character—she valued her son’s privacy and her own peace over capitalizing on her connection to Tom Jones.
The financial support from Jones, while court-ordered, helped with basic needs. However, Katherine’s estimated net worth of $500,000 came primarily from her own work in modeling and real estate, not from Jones’s support. She built her financial independence through her own efforts, demonstrating the self-sufficiency she had developed throughout her life.
Growing up as Tom Jones’s unacknowledged son took a severe toll on Jonathan. He developed anger and behavioral issues, admitting that his anger “boiled over in school,” where he “fought every kid and rebelled constantly,” changing schools multiple times.
Jonathan turned to drugs, starting to smoke marijuana at age 16 in an attempt to numb the pain of his father’s rejection. He stated that he “leaned towards older bad guys” because he desperately needed a father figure.
Jonathan has experienced homelessness, sleeping in homeless shelters and on park benches. His struggles included drug addiction and periods of incarceration on drug-related charges. Despite these challenges, Jonathan pursued music, performing under the name Jon Jones. He has been filmed busking on the streets of New Jersey, singing his father’s songs like “Delilah” and “It’s Not Unusual”—a poignant image of a son seeking connection through the music that made his father famous.
In 2018, when Tom Jones was hospitalized with a bacterial infection, Jonathan expressed his desire to reconcile, saying, “He’s not well…I want to see my dad and make my peace with him”. Jonathan has repeatedly stated that he doesn’t want his father’s money, only his recognition.
Despite Jonathan’s public pleas and private letters, Tom Jones has maintained his distance. The two have reportedly never met face-to-face, even after DNA proof and decades of Jonathan’s existence.
Katherine currently resides in the United States and continues to maintain a low profile. Now 61 years old, she has successfully kept the details of her present life away from public scrutiny. Whether she ever married or had other children remains unknown, which appears to be exactly how she prefers it.
Her work in real estate has provided her with financial stability and independence. She has successfully separated her identity from the Tom Jones scandal, refusing to let that three-day affair decades ago define her entire existence.
Katherine’s story ultimately is one of resilience. She faced public humiliation, raised a struggling son alone, and endured decades of being defined primarily as “Tom Jones’s baby mama.” Yet she maintained her dignity, protected her privacy, and built a life on her own terms. While her son’s struggles with his father’s rejection continue to make occasional headlines, Katherine herself has largely achieved the anonymity she sought.
Katherine Berkery was born in 1963 and is 61 years old as of 2024. Her exact birth date has not been publicly disclosed.
Katherine Berkery is of Asian descent, specifically Korean by birth. She was adopted by an American family at age eight and holds Korean-American citizenship.
Yes, Katherine Berkery is still alive and currently resides in the United States, where she maintains a private lifestyle away from media attention.
Katherine lives in the United States and works in real estate. She has successfully maintained her privacy and rarely makes public appearances or gives interviews.
No. Despite DNA confirmation of paternity and Jonathan’s repeated attempts to establish contact, Tom Jones has never met his son, Jonathan Berkery. Jones acknowledged being the biological father in 2008 but expressed no interest in developing a relationship.
Katherine Berkery’s estimated net worth is approximately $500,000, accumulated primarily through her modeling career and work as a real estate agent.
Katherine Berkery’s story serves as a reminder that behind every celebrity scandal are real people with complex lives and emotions. While Tom Jones continues his celebrated music career, Katherine has quietly lived her life with dignity, proving that strength often lies not in seeking the spotlight, but in choosing when to step away from it.
