Woodrow Wilson Vaughan Lt. Gen, Usa Retired

Woodrow Wilson Vaughan Lt. Gen, USA retired, died peacefully Friday, June 11, 2010.

He was born May 18, 1918, in Woodford, Okla., the sixth of nine children of Mary Johanna Veal and William Haywood Love Vaughan.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 67 years, Elizabeth, and siblings, George Waverly Vaughan, Verdry D. Vaughan, Haywood Love Vaughan, Anne Vaughan Dunman, infant Allan Dow Vaughan and Richard Henry Vaughan.

He is survived by his children, Woodrow Wilson Vaughan Jr. and wife, Connie, of Atlanta, Ga.; Henry Langhorne Vaughan and wife, Diana, of Lynchburg; and Mary Leitch Vaughan, of Haydenville, Mass. He is also survived by his six grandchildren, Christopher Wilson Vaughan and wife, Tricia, of Richmond; Woodrow Wilson Vaughan III and wife, Sara Ann, of Atlanta, Ga.; Heather Gillispie Sosnowsky and husband, Brad, of Woodbridge; Allison Vaughan D' Aurizio and husband, Kurt, of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Scott Louis Vaughan and wife, Bethel, of Washington, D.C.; and Mary Langhorne Vaughan McManus and husband, Kevin, of New York, N.Y.

In addition, he is survived by 14 great-grandchildren; siblings, Fillmore Lanier Vaughan, of Ardmore, Okla., and Betty Vaughan Hargrave, of Broken Arrow, Okla.; and sister-in-law, Jean Vaughan, of Germantown, Tenn.

General Vaughan graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1940. He was a distinguished student and athlete. He received his MBA from Stanford University in 1951. He served 39 years in the United States Army. He had a long and distinguished career. It began in China during World War II and ended as the Director of the Defense Logistics Agency. He received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, with two oak leaf clusters; Legion of Merit, with two oak leaf clusters; the Bronze Star Medal, with two oak leaf clusters; the Joint Services Commendation Medal; American Defense Service Medal; American Theater Campaign Medal; European Middle East Campaign Medal; Asia Pacific Campaign Medal with three stars; World War II Victory Medal; German Occupation Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal. In addition, he received Commendation Badges for his service from the War Department General Staff, the Department of Defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

General Vaughan was an avid sports fan as well as participant. As in his career, he excelled in everything he did. His greatest joy was his family, and he instilled in them the love of God and the West Point Motto: "Duty, Honor, and Country." He lived his life by these principles; no more could be said of any man.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff on the 6th floor Hearthside at Westminster Canterbury for their wonderful care of our father these last three years.

Tharp Funeral Home is assisting the family. Anyone wishing to honor General Vaughan is asked to consider the Westminster Canterbury Education Fund. The funeral service will be at 1 p.m. October 6, 2010, at the Ft. Meyer Chapel in Arlington, followed by his burial with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery with his wife.