Judith A. Shea Vaughn, 74, Harrisonville, MO passed away Saturday, March 23rd, 2019 at Menorah Medical Center. Memorial service will be 5pm Thursday, March 28th, at McGilley & Hoge Chapel, 8024 Santa Fe Dr., OP, KS. Visitation immediately following the service. Memorial contributions are suggested to Wayside Waifs and The Little Sisters of the Poor.
Judi was born July 2, 1944 in Manchester, NH. She moved with her family to Merriam, KS in 1954, graduated from Shawnee Mission North high school in 1962, earning a BS in English Education from University of Kansas in 1966.
She married in June of 1966, and after various moves, due to her husband’s military service, their son, Christopher Howard, was born in Ankara, Turkey in 1970. Afterward, they settled in Harrisonville, MO.
They joyfully welcomed a daughter, Jennifer Marie, in 1973. In 1976 they purchased a photography studio, remaining in business as Skinner-Vaughn Photography for 18 years.
Following her divorce in 1994, Judi attended graduate school to obtain her MA in library science, graduating from University of Missouri Columbia in May 1995. In August 1996 she began her career as a reference librarian at Johnson County Community College. During her years at JCCC, she achieved tenure & earned a professorship.
Judi loved to travel. She loved exploring new places and during her career at JCCC, traveled overseas to Russia, Paris, & The Netherlands. Outside of work she traveled to Costa Rica, Alaska, and Mexico. She also loved taking trips with her son, Chris, traveling throughout the New England area. Her grandchildren were very close to her and she took them on what they called, “Nana Adventures”, exploring exciting places all around the Kansas City area. She was very close to her family and welcomed a great grandson in 2015.
Judi loved her job as a Professor Librarian at JCCC where she worked until she no longer could. Obtaining and sharing knowledge was one of her passions. She was a firm believer in living life to the fullest, and she lived hers as fully as she could.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Elizabeth Anne Fraser Shea, and her father, Denis Anthony Shea.
She is survived by her son, Christopher Vaughn & his wife Jennifer, Brunswick, MD, and her daughter, Jennifer Myer & her husband Michael, Grandview, MO, three grandchildren and a great-grandson.
