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Tryon, NC – Jane Mahaffey Fox, 86, of Tryon Estates in Columbus, NC, passed away peacefully on Monday, March 2, 2020.

Jane, daughter of the late Otis C. and Ruby Mahaffey, was born and raised in Gramling, SC.   She and her husband, Ben, met at a young age and dated while each was in college. They were married for 64 years. Jane earned a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development from Winthrop College. She had a long career as an elementary school teacher in Winston-Salem, NC and was a lead teacher in the introduction of the Head Start program for kindergarten children in the Winston-Salem school system. Jane retired from teaching when Ben’s career moved them to Ponce, Puerto Rico for 4 years from 1976 to 1980. They then moved back to Winston-Salem where Jane worked as a recreation director at a nursing home and was active in bridge clubs and the arts. Jane served on the board of the Piedmont Opera Theater for several years. When Ben retired from Sara Lee Corporation in 1988, they moved to Griffin, GA.

Jane and Ben moved to Saluda, NC in 1993. While living in Saluda, NC, they maintained a home at Edisto Beach, SC and spent winters there. During their time in Saluda, Jane was a member of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration where she served as chair of the Altar Guild. She was a volunteer at the Saluda Senior Center where she was instrumental in the launch of their bridge program. In 2012, they moved to Tryon, NC, where Jane became an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross. In January of 2019, Jane and her husband moved to the retirement community of Tryon Estates in Columbus.

Jane was a loving wife and mother who made friends wherever she went. She will be dearly missed by many friends in many places.

She is survived by her husband, Ben R. Fox; a daughter, Katherine J. Fox of Saluda, NC, and a son, Steven C. Fox of Wilmington, NC; a sister, Sybil Kay (Don), two brothers, Larry Mahaffey (Mary Jo) and Doug Mahaffey (Libby), and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Memorials may be made to: The Episcopal Church of the Holy Cross, 150 Melrose Ave, Tryon, NC 28782 or to The Tryon Fine Arts Center, 34 Melrose Ave, Tryon, NC 28782.

An online guest register is available at www.mcfarlandfuneralchapel.com

 

McFarland Funeral Chapel & Crematory

Tryon, North Carolina