Opal Elmira Vaughn

Opal Elmira Hitt Vaughn (affectionately known as Mama, Maw Maw, and Memaw) was born January 19, 1930 to James Burkett Hitt and Edith Arzella Morgan Hitt. She went to her heavenly home on December 26, 2018 at the age of 88 years old at Decatur Morgan Hospital. She is survived by her four children: Rick William Vaughn (Jane), Denise Vaughn Smallwood (Jerry), Roger Anthony Vaughn (Belinda), and Shannon Vaughn Hopkins (Bill). She is also survived by six grandchildren who she loved dearly and for whom she spent countless hours raising, teaching, and cooking: Sumer Vaughn Symonds (Dan), Blake Vaughn, Chris Vaughn (Riley), Weston Hopkins (Erin), Emma Hopkins, and Austin Vaughn. She was blessed to have six great-grandchildren who brought such joy to her late in life: Paxton Symonds, Bowen Symonds, Deacon Vaughn, Wheeler Vaughn, Sandlin Vaughn, and Emory Hopkins. She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews who she loved and helped raise as her own. She was preceded in death by her parents, and her three sisters with whom she shared an unbreakable bond: Jessie Mitchell, Marie Mitchell, and Grace Turner. Mama was known for her ability to make people happy through her wonderful dishes for which she never used a recipe. She was famous for her hot pickled eggs, banana pudding, yellow cake, apple pie, strawberry cobbler, macaroni and cheese, chicken and dressing, chicken and dumplins', fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits and gravy. Her children and grands can all tell happy stories of spending time in her kitchen and learning that her food wasn't always made from scratch, but the love she put into it somehow made it better than anyone else's, even Betty Crocker's! She taught her children and grandchildren to love and fear God, to go to church, to pray, to read the Bible, to never back down from hard work, to stand up for themselves if necessary "because no-one else will do it for you," to know right from wrong, and to do right. If needed, to get her point across, she would enlist corporal punishment, often with whatever was close by-- a fly swatter, a house shoe, a loaf of bread... and those memories, though she was very serious, were some of the funniest!! Mama is remembered by many friends and family during the Vaughn's Superette and Service Station days where she pumped gas, sold groceries, kept books at the auction and rocked her baby to sleep on the auction block all while being the toughest and strongest lady around. During these days, she became known as the Pistol Packin' Mama. You see, some boys thought they would rob the store. Mama always had a handgun nearby her cash register or in her pocket. As the boys sped out of her parking lot down Old Moulton Road, she chased them, all while firing bullets into the back of their car. Needless to say, they were apprehended. That story made the local news. Thanks to Dr. Rand Bryan, her favorite vet, that story even made a national magazine where the NRA nicknamed her "Pistol Packin' Mama". Her husband Floyd loved to tell the story. They would laugh and reminisce about it frequently, and the family loved it when they did. Even though Mama was tough, she was compassionate for those less fortunate and would always lend a hand to someone in need. She had a servant's heart. She especially had a heart for the elderly and visited those she knew in the nursing home regularly. She cried often for those she "felt sorry for," and there is no doubt if she had been a millionaire, she would have fed the world. Even though she and Daddy divorced late in life, she visited him daily when he was at his sickest in the nursing home, taking him food each night and feeding him. She was by his side when he left earth for his Heavenly Home. She was devoted and forgiving. She loved to play cards with her friends; Rook and Rummy were her favorites. She also loved to have friends over for that early morning cup of coffee and fellowship.In the last days, Mama just wasn't herself. She lost the physical ability to smile, and she lost much of her memory, but she had brief moments when she knew it was leaving. She would say, "I'm just crazy." She was very concerned about making sure Mama and Daddy Hitt had dinner, we got the dressing out of the oven, and we took them some of the ice cream she ate every night. She also wanted to be sure the cats were fed and the babies didn't fall off the bed. She was always "caring" for folks, even in those last days. She had so much fun handing out candy to the kids who Trick-or-Treated at Summerford's Nursing Home this year. Her laughter as she told another resident to catch the candy bar she was about to toss him, was pure joy at this time! The nurses and CNA's enjoyed her wit and humor and would often share stories with the family. Mama was the last to leave the earth of the four Hitt sisters, and she longed to see them so badly. She was a good lady. She was a strong lady. She was a tough lady. Most importantly she was always a lady. She was our Mama. She chose to sacrifice for us each in different ways. She loved us all differently. But she loved us all.

Go rest high on that mountain, Mama. Your work on earth is done.

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7-8