Obituary of Janet Wilma Vaughan

Janet Wilma Hewitt was born on September 19, 1938 in Muncie, Indiana to the late Leonard and Wilma Hewitt. She was the second child in a family of eleven children; six boys and five girls. She lived in multiple towns in Illinois while growing up which is where she graduated high school.

After high school, she briefly attended Ball Teachers College, now Ball State University in Muncie, IN. She then enlisted in the United States Air Force, assigned to the 3565^th Navigator Training Group at the time of her Honorable discharge. 

 She was working in a print shop in Richmond, VA when she was hired by the US Dept. of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense General Supply Center in Richmond. She began a long career at that location beginning as a GS-4 clerk typist and through multiple assignments and promotions in many areas within the Supply Center as Management Assistant, Distribution Specialist, Project Manager, and Branch Manager of three branches. She took Federal employee retirement at age 54. Her husband Paul Vaughan retired two months later.

They decided to live in the mountains and moved to Bayfield, CO. There she started her second career as a charity volunteer. She and Paul were very active in charity and fundraising projects for the local Lions Club chapter and volunteered at the local high school teaching remedial reading and mathematics in addition to being highway clean up volunteers. They also delivered Meal-on-Wheels. She was an accomplished seamstress and quilter making crafts for church benefits and costumes for the high school Junior and Senior plays.

After four years (and more snow than expected), they decided to return to the Eastern US selecting Hendersonville, NC. There they continued their involvement with the Lions Club and the many charity projects it supported. Paul became district governor for North Carolina and Janet was the local chapter president for a year. This entailed travel to visit fifty-two clubs throughout the state. They also were highly involved with the Salvation Army, especially during the Christmas season helping distribute food and gifts to less fortunate people in the community. They also gave their time to Interfaith Ministries and continued to work with Meals-on-wheels.

Janet continued to share her talent of sewing, making 1,000 preemie gowns for Mission Hospital, and clothes for children in a local elementary school and a charity in Israel. One of the blankets she made received a bid of $650 at the Lions state convention auction. They contributed over 15,000 hours of volunteer work while in Hendersonville – the first time.

They moved to Jonesborough, TN. She continued her volunteer sewing, contributing to their church’s Fall festival, contributed to the Prayer Shawl group, made knitted hats for outpatient children, and incubator pads for the hospital nursery. She and Paul continued as substitutes for Meals-on-Wheels and Sunday school teachers. After Janet had knee surgery, the stairs in the TN home became problematic. So, they found a single level home and returned to Hendersonville.

Back in Hendersonville they selected Mount Moriah Baptist as their new church home. They enjoyed the relationships they had with the people there. She continued her sewing for charity making afghans and prayer shawls, winter hats, laundry bags, face masks, head bands, ear muffs, and her very useful creation, special jar lid openers (over 2100). As Paul’s health degraded, Janet’s primary role became his caretaker until November 2022 when he passed away.

After a year and a half, with consulting her brother and sister-in-law, Janet moved to assisted living at the Oaks of Aiken in Aiken, SC. She quickly settled in and enjoyed interacting with the staff and other residents. Right away, she started making and giving away jar lid openers, and head/ear bands for that taste of winter in South Carolina. After five months, her health deteriorated quickly. She held strongly to Jesus and told him many times that she was ready. She was holding what she called the ”Jesus card” when she passed away at Anchor Rehabilitation  in Aiken, SC on October 22, 2024.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Hewitt was preceded in death by her first husband, Morris Davis; second husband Paul Vaughan Jr. (married 51 years) in November 2022; son James Kent Davis; and siblings: Arthur Hewitt, Linda Jackson, Lyle Hewitt, Teresa Berwick;

She is survived by her siblings, Eleanor Leap, Lansing, MI; Robert Hewitt, Morganton, GA; James Hewitt (Rhoda), Richmond, VA; Jo Ellen Hewitt, Indianapolis, IN; Kent Hewitt (Karen), Aiken, SC; William Hewitt (Barbara), Valparaiso, IN. and many beloved nieces and nephews. 

Funeral services will be held on Friday, November, 1, 2024 in the Historic George Funeral Home Downtown Chapel, 211 Park Ave SW, Aiken, SC 29801 (803) 649-6234.

Interment will be held in Mount Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery, Hendersonville, NC. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Tunnel to Towers or Samaritan’s Purse – US Disaster Relief.

The Historic George Funeral Home & Cremation Center, 211 Park Ave SW, Aiken, SC 29801 (803) 649-6234.

Online expressions of sympathy may be left by visiting www.georgefuneralhomes.com.