Vaughn "Donnie" Hawkins

“Donnie” Vaughn Hawkins was the 3rd child of fourteen born to Mae Pearl and Sgt. Jewel Hawkins on (Mother’s Day) 5/11/1949 at Matigan General Hospital in Tacoma, WA. Vaughn pursued his education in the Temple Independent School District. He attended school at Phyllis Wheatley Elementary School, then Dunbar Jr. High School. Vaughn graduated from Dunbar High School in May of 1967. In August of 1967, Vaughn began college at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, TX. As a freshman, he was elected to the Jarvis Student Council. He became President of the Men’s Senate during his Senior Year. Vaughn was a member of the Dean’s Honor’s list during his Junior & Senior years. Vaughn earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with a minor in Math in May of 1971.

In March of 1971, Vaughn married Joyce Ann Thomas of Birmingham AL. Vaughn and Joyce were inseparable. From this union his two beautiful daughters, Cherri Ridley (husband Kelvin Ridley) and Brandi Hawkins were born. Vaughn became a grandfather to his granddaughter, Kelsey Ridley of Woodbridge, VA and his grandson Logan Vaughn Podlaski of Sunny Isles Beach, FL.

After finishing Jarvis college, Vaughn was employed by the Federal Aviation Administration for 10 years. He began his career as an Air Traffic Control Trainee in Austin, TX at Bergstrom Air Force Base. Vaughn was a certified Air Traffic Control Specialist at Lubbock Tower & Radar Approach Control. Vaughn got the opportunity to ride in a T-38 jet trainer where pilot did a burner climb from the runway to 40 thousand feet. With Vaughn in tow, the pilot went supersonic reaching a speed of Mach 1.15, while breaking the sound barrier. In January of 1977, Vaughn was promoted to Air Traffic Control Specialist at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. Vaughn was a certified DFW Tower and Terminal Radar Approach Control specialist at DFW Airport until August of 1981, when Air Traffic Control specialists went on strike due to work conditions.

Vaughn transitioned his career and joined Roerig/Pfizer pharmaceuticals as a member of the Dallas sales district in December of 1981. Vaughn worked as a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative in the Arlington, TX. In 1995, Vaughn was awarded “The Most Consistent Performer’s Award” based on his sales performances. Vaughn was the only representative to exceed 100% of his sales quota during 1982, 1983, and 1984. Vaughn continued to receive sales awards. In 1985 and 1986, Vaughn won the Southwest Region’s Vice President’s Club Award finishing in the top 10 percent of Sales Representatives in the region for 1984 & 1985. Vaughn was a repeat winner of the VPC Award in 1986, based on his sales performances in 1985 and 1986. In January of 1987, Vaughn was promoted to the Hospital Sales Representative position in the Dallas District. There, Vaughn was successful with getting many products added to the hospital formularies of his key accounts like the Dallas VA Hospital, Baylor Medical Center, and Methodist Medical Center. In July of 1989, Vaughn was promoted to the newly created District Manager position in the Fort Worth District. Vaughn hired & trained many Sales Representatives and Hospital Sales Representatives.

Vaughn coached his sales representatives to win many National Awards & Contests including multiple Representatives of the Year awards and Hospital Sales Representative of the Year awards. In 1997, Vaughn’s Fort Worth District helped him to earn the Vice-Presidential Manager Award by finishing in the top 10 % of Districts division wide. Vaughn was awarded a tip to Rome and Florence, Italy.

In 2002, Vaughn finished in the top 10% of Senior District Managers company wide. Vaughn ultimately won Pfizer’s Senior District Manager Award, which included Vaughn’s SDM “Life” video which was displayed during this service. To be eligible, a district manager had to be in the position for 10 years, then rank in the top 10%. During his tenure with Pfizer, Vaughn numerous New Product Award trips for sales of medications such as Zoloft, Unasyn, Diflucan, etc. Vaughn retired from Pfizer in 2006.

Post-retirement, Vaughn also worked with children in Keller Independent School District as a Substitute Teacher where he shared his knowledge of math and science with students.

Vaughn joined Corinth Baptist Church at an early age. He was baptized by Rev. N. L. Hornsby along with his brothers La Rue, De Wayne & Roland. Vaughn was active in Sunday School and other Church activities.

Vaughn was a Deacon at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Arlington. Vaughn was also a member of the Usher’s Board and the Parking Lot Committee. He also worked with newly Baptized Christians.

Vaughn was also a member of St. John’s Baptist Church, where he served as a Deacon and a Sunday School Teacher for members over 50 years old. Vaughn was a member of the Brotherhood at the Southlake Campus and worked with newly Baptized Christian’s there as well.

Vaughn also went to Keller’s Bible Study Fellowship classes for over 10.

Vaughn loved the movies especially action films and Westerns. He was an avid golf player, he loved fishing and also talking trash while playing dominoes, especially with his mother and brothers. He loved to travel and visited cities all over the world. He was the biggest Dallas Cowboys fan you’ll ever meet. He will always be remembered as an intelligent, kind, open-hearted, caring, humble and funny person.

A visitation will be held Friday, May 22, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at St. John Church Unleashed 800 S. Kimball Ave Southlake, Texas 76092. The funeral service will begin at 12:00 p.m. immediately following the visitation.