John Daniel "Dan" Vaughan

John Daniel “Dan” Vaughan, age 97, passed away at home Friday, May 26, 2023. He was born in Nash County to the late Daniel Russell and Mary Isabelle Andrews Vaughan. Dan worked as a salesman for the National Motor Club for fifty-two years and was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. In addition to his beautiful wife of 73 years, Beverly McLohon Vaughan, Dan is survived by his daughters, Beverly V. Williams (Mike) of Rocky Mount, NC, Billie V. Fowler (Walt) of Williamsburg, VA, Carolyn V. Crumpler (Greg) of Rocky Mount, NC, Kathryn V. Wilkerson of Charlotte, NC; sons, John D Vaughan, Jr. (Beth) of Charlotte, NC and Stuart R. Vaughan (Rhonda) of Greensboro, NC. Surviving grandchildren are Stephanie W. Snyder (Jon) of Charlotte, NC, Morgan V. Gassner (Stefan) of Charlotte, NC, Justin M. Fowler (Sara) of Portland, OR, Matthew S. Vaughan of Los Angeles, CA, John Daniel Vaughan, III (Kennedy) of Charlotte, NC, Megan W. Blackmon (Chris) of Lancaster, PA, Garrison D. Fowler (Kady) of Williamsburg, VA, Anna V. Willm (Hunter) of Charlotte, NC, William D. Crumpler of Raleigh, NC and Thomas M. Wilkinson, III, of Charlotte, NC. Surviving also are eleven great-grandchildren. Dan Vaughan not only loved his family but also his church and his community. A longtime member of Englewood United Methodist Church, he showed up early every Sunday morning to make coffee in the fellowship hall and greeted incoming parishioners before making his way to the third pew at the front of the church in time for the 11 o'clock service. Dan was active with the Methodist Mens` club cooking peanuts on Tuesday nights, Brunswick stew for covered dish dinners, and assisting homeless guests on First Nights. He truly loved being a part of his Aldersgate Sunday School and taught classes well into his 90`s. Starting each lesson with humor, he delivered a message that had been thoughtfully prepared at his desk in the office where he read, prayed and reflected. His stewardship continued in later years, delighting church and family members as the unofficial birthday phone call ambassador. In service to his community, Dan also delivered Meals on Wheels for many years. A proud WWII veteran and staunch patriot, Dan served in Guam as a Sergeant in the 501st Group, 21st Squadron315th Bomb Wing of the US Army Air Corps. Through his service he developed a true passion for airplanes and flying, eventually piloting his own single engine Cessna. He received a Congressional Gold Medal for serving as one of the founding members of the Nash County Civil Air Patrol (CAP). As a CAP cadet he helped guard a Japanese submarine in Rocky Mount that was on a War Bonds tour. He was honored to be a founding committee member of the Veterans` Park WWII Memorial in downtown Rocky Mount. In 2012, he participated in an Honor Flight, traveling with a group of other veterans to Washington, DC to visit the national WWII Memorial. Nobody enjoyed a civic club BBQ chicken dinner plate more than he did and in his later years he became an avid reader and loved solving word search puzzles. He was our beloved Papa who kept up with the adventures of all ten grandchildren and tried to keep up with his eleven great-grandchildren. Papa never met a stranger, but if he did, he made sure that before they parted ways he had figured out where they were from and how he was connected to them. A NC map and a jar of church peanuts got him into a lot of places as he was always proud to represent his church and community. In later years, when traveling was no longer an option, Papa would spend hours on his side porch watching out for his neighbors, entertained by the numerous birds and squirrels who frolicked at the many feeders in the yard. By sundown after an afternoon of competitive checkers with his wife, they settled in to enjoy favorite programs The Andy Griffith Show and Songs of the Mountain. We would like to offer special thanks to his VA caregiver, Clady. Memorials can be made in his memory to the Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina in Lake Waccamaw or Englewood United Methodist Church. We know he`s now in heaven with his poker and golfing buddies as well as the many friends and family that have gone on before him. He will be missed. A graveside service will be conducted, Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 2:00 pm at Forest Hills cemetery with visitation immediately following the service and other times at the home.

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John Daniel "Dan" Vaughan

January 16, 1926 - May 26, 2023