Services for her will be held on Saturday, November 23rd at Parkway Funeral Home in Ridgeland, Mississippi. Visitation will begin at 9am followed by a 10am service to celebrate her life. A burial service will immediately follow.
Evelyn was born November 26, 1923 in Meridian, MS to Sloan and Lucy Drennan Holifield. She grew up in Meridian and graduated from Meridian High school. After attending Meridian Jr. College, she graduated from Mississippi University for Women.
She worked for seven years as a psychometrist for the Veterans Administration. In 1947, she married Chester Vaughn and got a taste of a minister’s wife. They lived in New Orleans while Chester attended the seminary. They moved several times for opportunities for Chester to work as a Minister of Education. They lived in Meridian, Brookhaven and Hazlehurst before a stop in Hattiesburg.
While in Hattiesburg, they adopted their two children – Jim and Harriet. In 1963, they moved to Nashville for Chester’s job at the Baptist Sunday School Board (Lifeway.) While there, Evelyn became a curriculum writer for older children for the Baptist Sunday School Board. She wrote materials for 25 years.
She saved the money she earned and bought the family a camper to tow behind the car. That was a wonderful way to spend quality family time and see some great places in New Mexico, Tennessee, North Carolina and of course, Mississippi.
Evelyn and Chester were very good at fellowshipping. They loved the churches they joined and always looked for an opportunity to serve others in Christ. They were long time members of First Baptist Church in Jackson where they had many friends. They fellowshipped in various dinner clubs and luncheon groups and enjoyed having friends and family over for food and fun.
Evelyn always had a funny story or a joke to tell you. Many times, the funny stories were at her expense which made her love telling them all the more. Most people, at some point, heard about her diligent efforts to care for her new car by having the tire pressure checked each day on her way to work until one day Chester was in the car with her and was surprised to see what she had done.
She was quick with a smile and relished a good hug. She cared for all of her neighbors. And connected with them whenever she could.
She loved her family – immediate, extended and distant relatives were always a joy to connect with. Both of her parents were from large families which provided lots of cousins to keep in contact with.
Evelyn is preceded in death by her parents and her loving husband Chester. They were married more than 52 years when he went on ahead to await her arrival.
Evelyn is survived by her only sister, Mary Sloan Satterwhite, her son Jim and his wife Pam of Crystal Springs, MS and her daughter Harriet, her husband Danny Gleason and their daughters Katie and Emma of Austin, TX.
Many loving thanks to Sharica Ross, Ruth Davis, and Mynisha Willis for their care and support of Evelyn as her condition worsened. They were kind, patient and very compassionate.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St Jude Children’s Hospital or a charity of your choice.
Life without Christ is unthinkable,
Death without Christ is impossible,
To live is Christ.
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