Aretha Vaughan Hamilton

Avie” Abakarah Aretha Violet Trina Littleheart Bluejay Flanagan Vaughan Hamilton was born August 12, 1982, on The Farm in Summertown, TN. She was raised in Memphis by her father, Walter Lynwood Vaughan, Jr., and her adoring grandmother, Will "Mom" Vaughan.

After an accelerated academic career, she graduated from White Station High School in 1998. She continued to foster her love of learning by obtaining a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee at Martin, a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Colorado Boulder, and studying abroad at the SIT (School for International Training) in Toulouse, France.

Avie married the love of her life, Tyler, and was blessed to become a mother in 2010 with the birth of Stella. Their family was completed seven years later in 2017 with the arrival of Nathaniel “Ned.” Avie’s children were her greatest joy and constant pride.

After making her family her full-time job for 14 years, she heeded the call to become the Director of Children’s Ministry at Saint John’s Episcopal Church in Memphis. Avie has always been a godly steward, not only by becoming a godmother in 2014 to Joule Lee, but also in her service to the church. Serving Saint John’s was an honor and pleasure to Avie as she ushered each angelic child through their spiritual development. She worked diligently to revitalize the ministry, work in tandem with clergy, and to foster the love of God in all children.

No matter how full her plate appeared, she always had room to spread more knowledge and love. Avie was beloved among members of the Waynoka Circle neighborhood, and took great joy in hosting a plethora of neighborhood festivities– from July 4th fireworks to early morning Easter egg hunts, she took charge of it all. She also inherited her father’s love of dogs, fostering and adopting an array of sweet pups, including current family pets George and Maisie.

Avie was a true force of nature– as a dancer, a writer, a scholar, a mother, she excelled in anything and everything she put her mind to. Her capacity to learn and to love knew no bounds, and she will continue to live through us in our own attempts to do the same.