Janice Vaughan Snow

Janice Vaughan Snow of Ipswich was born on April 17, 1910 in the horse and buggy era. Her involvement with horses remained direct, until she passed away in her sleep on April 3, two weeks before her 100th birthday. Her long life included youthful years as the daughter of a North Shore shoe manufacturer, the glamorous times as a debutante coming out in the Boston society of the 1920's, the adventures of a consummate horse woman, fox hunter and successful steeplechase rider, service as a volunteer nurse and plane spotter during World War II, driving dog teams with her brother Norman Vaughan, the noted South Pole and Iditarod adventurer and flying in single-engine airplanes around the country with her husband Crocker Snow, a pioneer aviator. Through all this, she cultivated and catered to a large circle of friends and family throughout her beloved North Shore of Boston. She was known by all, including her faithful four-legged companions, for her smile, her generosity of spirit and deep Christian faith. Born in Salem as the daughter of George Cutts and Besse Dane Vaughan, she was encouraged in her education at the Windsor School of Brookline and the Ethel Walker School in central Connecticut. She was married after her debutante year to Grafton Smith of Boston who died in an automobile accident two years later. Her second marriage in 1933 was to Englishman John Douglas Little Jr. In 1939 she married the Cape Cod and Boston aviator Crocker Snow, surviving him after 55 years together. Janice Snow was a member of the Vincent Club of Boston and the Junior League. She was for some years co chair of the Republican Town Committee of Ipswich winner of the famed Mortimer Hunt Cup Steeplechase, Whipper-in of the Myopia Hunt, longtime member of the Myopia Hunt Club and a faithful parishioner of the Christ Church of Hamilton. II In her later years, less physically active herself, she became a dedicated spectator at all manner of sporting activity for her children and grandchildren ranging from the lacrosse fields at Shore Country Day School to ice hockey rinks at Pingree, Middlesex and St. Paul's Schools as well as at Harvard and Yale, the start of the Iditarod dog sled race in Anchorage, and, most regularly, autumn hunts and Sunday afternoon polo games at the Myopia Hunt Club. Janice Snow is survived by two sons, Donald Vaughan Little and Crocker Snow Jr., of Ipswich, daughter Janice Patricia Moseley of South Hamilton, nine grandchildren Adam Crocker Snow of Aiken, SC, Andrew Kitchell Snow of Chicago, Joshua Winston Snow of Fairbanks, AK, Nicholas Benjamin Snow of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Connor Wright-Snow of Atlanta, GA, Virginia Moseley Nides of Washington, DC, Ailsa Moseley of Hamilton, Donald Vaughan Little, Jr. of Ipswich and Andrea Little Eaton of Topsfield and fourteen great grandchildren, who are scattered widely around the country and returned regularly to her Ipswich home for "Nana's" celebrated family get-togethers and her strong but gentle wisdoms. A private funeral service will be held on her birthday in the Christ Church, Hamilton. Visiting hours will be Friday, April 16, 5:30 to 8 pm in the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home, 6 High Street, Ipswich. Friends and acquaintances are invited to a memorial celebration at 4:00 on April 17 at Janice Snow's home for more than 60 years, 126 Topsfield Road, Ipswich. Memorial contributions in her name may be made to Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, 188 Elliott St., Danvers, MA 01923. For directions or to leave a condolence please visit www.whittier-porter.com.