Lela Vaughn Huey

April 26, 1914-September 28, 2012

Columbus, GA- Lela Vaughn Huey, age 98, passed away on Friday, September 28, 2012 in Columbus. GA.

She was born on April 26, 1914, near Tallapoosa, GA. to James Thomas Vaughn and Louella Garrett Vaughn. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her three brothers and two sisters, and her grandson Jonathan Rigsby. In 1930 Lela married Buford Monroe Huey. They began life together as "one-mule share-croppers" near Carrollton. They moved to Columbus in 1941 when Buford got a job as a carpenter building barracks at Ft. Benning. She prepared three meals a day, always including freshly baked biscuits, until Buford's death 57 years later in 1987. When her children were small, Lela worked as president of Rosemont and later Morningside PTAs. She was a Cub Scout den mother. In 1951 she was a leader in establishing a Columbus location of the U.S. Air Force Ground Observer Corps. This Air Force funded network of volunteers manned sites that filled in gaps in the U.S. air defense coverage until additional radar sites could be constructed. In 1956 Lela began a twenty-three year career as a Cafeteria Manager in the Muscogee County School System. She served twenty years of that career as the Cafeteria Manager at Double Churches School. Lela became a member of Gentian Baptist Church in 1947. She loved her church and served for twenty-nine years as a Sunday School teacher to young children. Lela was a tremendously strong woman both physically and mentally. She maintained her own home, drove her own automobile, and paid her own bills until she was ninety-six years old. She attributed her strength to a youth of "chopping cotton in the summer, picking cotton in the fall, and never getting quite enough to eat in the winter." Lela always shared her home with one or two cats. She never owned a pedigreed cat, but the stray cats she took into her home always thrived on

her love and care and lived long and happy lives. She leaves her current twelve year old cat, Pee Wee, to the care of her grandson.

She is survived by her son Lt Col Bill Huey (Susie) of Newnan, daughter Sandra Rigsby (Leonard) of Forest Park, grandchildren Dr. Bill Huey, Jr. of Atlanta, and Kelly Peurifoy (Gary) of Peachtree City, and two great-grandchildren, Jack and Ansley Peurifoy of Peachtree City. In accordance with her wishes, the body was cremated. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 PM, Monday, October 1, 2012 at Striffler Hamby Funeral Home, 4071 Macon Road, Columbus, GA, 31907. The family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. Her ashes will be buried alongside her husband at Parkhill Cemetery immediately following the service.

The family requests that those who wish to honor Lela make donations to aid orphaned animals at PAWS Humane, P.O. Box 8964, Columbus, GA 31908.

To sign the online guest register please visit www.shcolumbus.com.