Vivian Ashford Van Horne

Vivian Ashford Van Horne, born in Watkinsville, Georgia and a longtime resident of Holmes Beach, died January 10, 2024, at the age of 95. She is survived by her three children, 10 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. She was dearly loved by all and will be greatly missed. It is hard to express the impact she had on us all, giving us one of her greatest gifts from the chair in which she spent the last two years of her life. Paralyzed except in her left arm from strokes, from that chair she modeled strength and courage in the face of adversity as she only ever expressed cheerfulness and gratitude, laughed freely, and thought of others to the end.

Before she became homebound, she traveled the world and took family with her when possible. She met and married her husband, William J. Van Horne, while working in France during the Korean War. They moved back to the southeast of the United States, and together they started a business, “The Fun Company,” that staged employee picnics for companies around the United States. They managed this business together for 20 years until Mr. Van Horne’s passing. Five years later, Vivian sold the company and took to traveling the world in earnest. She visited, along with various children, grandchildren, sisters and cousins, Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, South Africa, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, France, England, Germany, Belgium, Nepal, China, and Egypt.

Mrs. Van Horne, known variously as “G” or “Abuela” or “Grandmama” to her grandchildren, “Mama” to her daughters, “Big V” or “V” to her son, and “Vivian” to everyone else, radiated kindness to everyone who crossed paths with her. She touched many lives and will be fondly remembered by all. She deeply loved and cared for her family, and lived a life that brought us all together, even though we lived in different parts of the world. We honor her memory and hope to become at least some of who she was in this world.