Obituary: Virginia "Ginger" Smith Vaughn

Virginia “Ginger” Smith Vaughn passed away peacefully on Jan. 11, 2021. She was born March 8, 1940, in Thomasville, Georgia, to Josh and Inez (Sasser) Smith. 

Known as a Southern spitfire, she grew up in South Georgia. Her family moved to Pelham, Georgia, where she attended Pelham High School. With five dollars in her hand, she left her hometown to attend Georgia Southern and earned a two-year degree.

She eventually moved to Orlando, where she met and married Pat. Her lifetime dream of becoming a mother was realized with Mark, and then Andrea. The light of her life was her granddaughter, Lena. 

As a homemaker, she spent most of her time volunteering at OCPS in her children’s schools, from reading to collecting items for fundraisers. She enjoyed traveling internationally, playing golf and spending time at the beach.

She was a longtime member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Orlando, and a devoted volunteer, counting the offering every Monday for decades.

She is survived by her daughter, Andrea; granddaughter, Lena; brothers, Charles (Kathy) Smith and Pete Smith; nieces, Stephanie Smith and Melia Van Kirk; nephews, Brett (Lisa) Smith, Tyler Van Kirk, Keli’i Van Kirk and Jeff Smith.

She is preceded in death by her father, Josh; mother, Inez; husband, Pat; son, Mark; and nephew, Scott.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Florida United Methodist Children's Home, Enterprise, Florida (fumch.org/).