Willa Dean Vaughn, 95, of Bartlett, Tennessee, formerly of Winfield, Alabama, passed away on September 13, 2023, surrounded by her family in Memphis, Tennessee.

DonaRee Willa Dean Carter Vaughn, known to family and friends as "Dean" or "Willa Dean," was born on January 2, 1928, in Cordova, Alabama, to Arvie C. Carter and Mittie O. Beasley Carter.  She was the fourth of five children born to the family.  

On July 25, 1959, she and Ernest Vaughn were married in Smithville, Mississippi and enjoyed 55 years of marriage.

She attended school in Winfield but was unable to graduate due to family circumstances.  She would become a powerful example to her children by completing her GED later in life.

She worked in the textile mills, retail stores, and school cafeteria; but her main career was being a homemaker for her family.  She worked tirelessly in the family's garden, growing and preserving food and was a wonderful seamstress, sewing most of the clothes she and her children wore.

Dean was a longtime member of the Winfield Church of Christ.

She had a passion for genealogy and learning about her family tree.  She was a member of the Marion County Genealogical Society and worked with her husband for several years publishing their monthly tracts.  Dean was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 100 and served as a president of that local chapter.  She was a member of the Keenagers group at the Winfield First Baptist Church for many years, and she loved a good game of canasta with her friends.

She was preceded in death by her infant son, Michael Ernest Vaughn; her husband, Ernest Vaughn; her parents, Arvie and Mittie Carter; her siblings, Norma Wilson, Bill Carter, Cordie Carter, and RJ Carter.

She is survived by her daughters, Jana (Carson) Smith of Memphis, Tennessee, and Lajuana (Mark) Kledzik of Bartlett, Tennessee; granddaughters, Jessica (Oscar) Rodriguez Analco, Crystal (David) Magruder, and Nicole Kledzik; great-granddaughters, Devon, Madalynn, Eleanor, Annette, and Hattie Rose Magruder; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Dean will be held on Saturday, September 16th at 2:00 p.m. from the Bowen Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow in the Winfield City Cemetery. The visitation will be held on Saturday from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. service time at the funeral home. James Wyers is the officiating minister.

Bowen Funeral Home of Winfield, Alabama serving the Vaughn family.

Courtesy Announcement

Mrs. Billie Jean Benton, age 80 of Hubbertville passed away on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. Funeral services for Mrs. Benton will be held on Sunday, September 17, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. from the McGraw Chapel of the Miles Memorial Funeral Home with burial to follow in the Fairview Cemetery. The visitation will be held on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. service time at the funeral home.

Miles Memorial Funeral Home serving the Benton family.

Mrs. Eva Jean Durham, age 76, of Winfield passed away on Friday, September 8, 2023 in the DCH Medical Center. Mrs. Durham was born in Winfield, Alabama on September 1, 1947 to Gilbert and Mary Corkren Shirey. Eva attended Winfield City School most of her life before moving to Rock Island, Illinois with her family, where she attended Rock Island High School. After moving back to the area Eva worked as a seamstress for Health Tex and later A-1 Manufacturing before becoming disabled. She enjoyed spending her spare time fishing, hunting arrowheads, riding ATVs, and watching Auburn football.

Mrs. Durham is survived by her spouse, David Box, children, Thomas Durham (Darlene), Dorinda Durham-Eddy (Dusty), Jason Durham, and Jonathan Durham (Robin), grandchildren, Samantha Durham, Tauni Durham-Evans (Hannah), T.C. Durham (Brittany), Taylor Christopher (Austin), Alivia Durham, Tyler Durham (Oakley), Ashlyn O’Mary, Gabe Durham, and Zoe Durham, great-grandchildren, Beckett Davis, Braydon Roberson, Anna Durham, Jordyn Durham, and Hazel Christopher, sisters, Ann Clayton, Charlotte Williams (Johnny), and Jackie Gonzales, and a host of nieces, nephews and other family members.

Mrs. Durham was preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert and Mary Shirey.

Mrs. Durham’s family will receive friends on Tuesday evening, September 12, 2023, from 4:00p.m. until 6:00 p.m. from the Bowen Funeral Home Chapel.

Bowen Funeral Home of Winfield serving the Durham family.

Mrs. Eva Jean Durham, age 76, of Winfield passed away on Friday, September 8, 2023. The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening, September 12, 2023, from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at the Bowen Funeral Home Chapel.