Christine Vought

Christine Mae Vought, 70, passed away at her home in Indianapolis, Indiana, on the early morning of April 16, 2021, after a January, 2021 diagnosis of stage IV gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. The humor, peace, and courage she showed as she faced the end of her life were a comfort to those who loved her.

Chris was born in Neenah, Wisconsin, on January 27, 1951, the beautiful daughter of Mary Evelyn Pettingill and Ralph Merton Vought, later stepdaughter to Harold E. Johnson. She grew up close to her grandparents and her aunt Phyllis “Flip” Rohrbeck and graduated from Neenah High School in 1969. Chris suffered the losses of her sister, brother, fiancé, and best friend in her late teen years. After those tragedies, she spent the early 1970s traveling the US—to Maryland (where she briefly held a job with the FBI), New Orleans, Puerto Rico, Connecticut, and beyond—with dear friends too numerous to name who sustained her then and through the rest of her life and made many more whose loyalty to her never wavered. Although she spent most of her life living in Connecticut and Indiana, Wisconsin always remained her home.

Chris’ greatest joys were as a mother and grandmother. She taught her own children, Corinne, Jill, Brian, and Josh, always to take life a little less seriously, to “live a little.” She wanted them to go barefoot, to find the back roads, to clean deeply but not too often, to dance badly, to open windows, and to love and be loved. She treasured her sons- and daughter-in-law. She encouraged and took pride in her children’s journeys and accomplishments, even when they took them far from her or her experiences. She had a unique relationship with each of her children, but none ever had to wonder whether they were loved. As grandmother to Miriam, Ellie, and Sam, Chris was notoriously incorrigible, spoiling them despite their parents’ objections, convinced thoroughly that they were the most flawless children on this planet and probably the next one, too. As she often said, she loved them “to the moon and back.” Their love spanned the same distances and still does—and maybe even further, now.

Over the years, Chris held a variety of jobs, often in doctor’s offices, home health equipment, and health insurance companies, where she expertly and compassionately helped patients navigate complicated issues to make their frightening battles a little bit easier. She also loved her work as a classroom aide at Churubusco (IN) High School, where she was able to bring comfort to students in distress by drawing from her own hard-won resilience. In every position, Chris was known for her work ethic, integrity, and care for others. Many of her younger colleagues referred to her as their “work mom” or some similar term of affection.

As a friend, Chris has always been a listener and a goofball in equal measure. As a result, she has any number of friends who consider her their best. She was a favorite neighbor of her block in Indianapolis, and there was no child, anywhere, who could not enchant her. And although she loved so very many people dearly—and has promised to haunt many of them personally—she also treasured her solitude, watching Ellie and Sam at recess on the playground across from her picture window, enjoying a good snowstorm, watching the news, drinking her coffee, or planting flowers. Later in her life, she became more politically engaged, marching in support of women’s and black lives (lovingly angering plenty of her good friends!), and one of her proudest moments was the day that Donald Trump blocked her on Twitter. For Chris, supporting those who suffered was an expression of a morality deeply grounded in love and empathy for others, especially for the most vulnerable, even if they were strangers to her. It was always personal to her.

Chris was preceded in death by her parents and beloved aunt and stepfather; her brothers, Robert, Donald, and Thomas Vought; her sister, Mary Sue Vought; her best high school friend, Susan Paulson; and her truest love, Peter Lee Birling.

Surviving are her daughters, Corinne (Brandon) Wohlford Mason of St. Louis, Missouri and Jill (Brian Overholser) Wohlford of Indianapolis, Indiana; her sons, Brian Sheppard of New York City and Joshua (Erin) Pancoast of Des Moines, Iowa; her grandchildren, Miriam Taff and Ellie and Sam Overholser; her sisters Judith, Patricia, and Kathryn (Todd Wittman) Vought, all of Wisconsin; and four nieces, two nephews, and their children, whom she showed off as if they were her own.

Although immediate services are not planned, a celebration of Chris’ life will be announced at a later date. Meanwhile, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made, per Chris’ request, to RAICES: The Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, in order to support children and families separated at the US-Mexico border. If you choose, please donate a “tribute” gift by clicking https://www.raicestexas.org/ways-to-give/donate-in-someones-honor/ and send a notification of the gift to [email protected] through the site so that we may thank you.

Chris' family would like to thank the many friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and so many others who have reminded Chris of what she means to them, in so many ways, since her diagnosis. Although she couldn’t share this journey with everyone, she knew you were there, always. And we know she will be for you, even now, too.