Vangie Lee Carruthers Rich was born in Charlottesville, Virginia to Vangie Lee Trimble and Edward Jordan Carruthers on March 26, 1937. On October 12, 2026, she passed away in her home in Highlands, North Carolina, surrounded by the love of family and friends who will forever treasure her stories, her laughter, and her generous spirit. Vangie was an only child, but she spent a lot of time growing up with various relatives in Virginia and Georgia.

Vangie's grandparents, Ellie and Elmer Irving (E.I.) Carruthers, played an important role in raising her. E.I. Carruthers served as chief financial officer, or Bursar as the position was then known, for the University of Virginia from 1912 to 1947. He and Ellie lived at 24 East Range, just off the UVA Lawn. Vangie, and her dear cousin, Carol, loved to roller skate on the brick walkways around the Rotunda while her grandfather worked in his Rotunda office.

After Vangie's parents divorced in 1951, she and her mother lived in Richmond, Virginia. After that, she spent several years living with various relatives in College Park, Georgia and attended College Park High School. In 1954, she moved to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil with her mother and stepfather, William H. Wurdemann, where she graduated from the Escola Americana do Rio de Janeiro. She returned to the USA in 1956 and enrolled in Florida State University, where she studied voice; in 1959, she briefly attended the University of Florida. In 1961, she and her first husband, William T. Swigert, Sr, and their two sons, Bill Jr. and Brett, move to Ocala, Florida.

In Ocala, she was very involved in the Junior Women's Club, Cub Scout den mother, singing in the church choir and riding and caring for her horses. After her divorce, she started a retail business and became active in the Ocala Civic Theater. In the early 1980's, she moved to Crystal River, Florida to take care of her aging mother. She opened a retail business there, where she also met and married business owner and future mayor of Crystal River, Curtis Rich.

While in Crystal River, she started the first ever chapter of Parents and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). She and Curtis were also active in Playhouse 19, where they became local celebrities for the roles as Ethel and Norman Thayer in On Golden Pond.

Vangie made Highlands her home in 2007. Wherever she lived, she found ways to become part of the community and to share one of her greatest gifts: bringing joy to the people around her.

Music was an important part of Vangie’s life, and she greatly enjoyed singing in the choir at Highlands United Methodist Church. She also had a lifelong love of the theatre and performed in productions in Ocala and Crystal River, Florida, as well as in Highlands, North Carolina.

Vangie loved to travel, spend time with family, meet new people, and, perhaps most of all, make people laugh. She was a wonderful storyteller with a jovial spirit and an ability to make those around her feel as though they were important, special, and deeply loved. She also took great pleasure in learning about her family’s history and passing those stories and knowledge along to future generations.

Vangie is survived by her sons, Bill Swigert and his spouse, Shane Wilson; Brett Swigert and his spouse, Nancy Swigert; stepdaughter, Alana Rich, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. At the center of Vangie’s life was her family, especially her sons, Bill and Brett. Her love for them was immeasurable, and they remained a source of great pride and happiness throughout her life. Her niece, Audryn Swigert, while not her biological daughter, was the closest she would have to a daughter and was someone very special to her who brought great joy to heart.

She will be deeply missed by her family, friends, fellow performers, church family, and the many people who were fortunate enough to know her, laugh with her, and hear one of her stories.

A memorial service celebrating Vangie’s life will be held at the Highlands United Methodist Church in Highlands on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Her ashes will be interred at Westview Cemetery in Moultrie, Georgia at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Highlands United Methodist Church or the Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society (CHHS).

Macon Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Her family hopes Vangie will be remembered as she lived: with a song to sing, a story to tell, a reason to laugh, and plenty of love to share.

                                                                                                       A Life Well Loved

                                                                                         Though her song has softly ended,

                                                                                                      Its melody remains,

                                                                                          In every tale she shared with us,

                                                                                                 In laughter that sustains.

                                                                                                Her love lives on within us,

                                                                                                 Her joy will light the way,

                                                                                          And those who knew and loved her

                                                                                                  Will carry her each day.

                                                                                                       Shane W. Wilson