Stella Litton

Age 85, of Monroeville, formerly of Virginia Beach, and Arlington, VA., passed away Tuesday, May 29, 2012 at her residence in Golden Heights Assisted Living Home in Irwin, PA. She was the daughter of Samuel and Bessie Reynolds Vaughn of Stickleyville, VA. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Bradley Daniel Litton, sisters Maude Newton, Donna Ethel Skaggs, and Virgie Bledsoe, and brothers Milo and Bobby Vaughn. Stella was a beautiful and spirited woman, born July 8, 1926 on Powell Mountain, VA. She left the hills of SW VA in 1942 at age 16, taking her first plane trip, destination San Francisco, CA. There she met and married her fiancé, Bradley Litton, a Navy chief and Pearl Harbor survivor. As a Navy wife, she lived in Long Beach and San Diego, CA., Roseburg, OR., and Honolulu, HI., before moving to Arlington, VA., where she was a member of the Arlington Church of Christ for many years. Later, she relocated Norfolk, VA., where she completed her business degree, attended Granby Road and Bayside Church of Christ and was proudly a member of the Azalea Garden Road chapter of the International Lions Club. Although she was employed for years as a credit office manager, she was foremost, a dutiful wife, creative homemaker, and loving mother and grandmother. In her lifetime enjoyed gardening, sewing and cooking, taking care of her grandchildren, and doing kind deeds for others. She especially enjoyed gospel and bluegrass music. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Linda (McCune) and Leonard Benson of Monroeville, PA, daughter Sharon Newton of Virginia Beach; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren; sisters Nell Hawkins, Rosalie (Toby) Fannon, Hazel Collier, and Jeanette Crenshaw; brothers Samuel Vaughn Jr., and Billy Vaughn, and her special friend Peter Kassab of Virginia Beach. She will be dearly missed by those who knew her and loved her, and long remembered for her elegance, generosity, sensitivity, and integrity. The family wants to thank the staff of Golden Heights Assisted Living Center as well as Heartland Hospice for their compassionate care of Stella during the last years of her life. Visitation and services are private. Interment will be in the Litton Family Cemetery in Stickleyville, VA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Alzheimer’s Foundation is appreciated.