Jean Vaughn

1919 ~ 2010

Jean Victoria Purrington Vaughn passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 due to incidence of advanced age.

She was born November 22, 1919 in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Charles Gordon Purrington and Ada Dawson Purrington and grew up in Salt Lake City.

Jean’s father, Charles, owned and operated the first dancing school in Utah, beginning in 1918, and so she grew up dancing and performing with his studio. She often talked about performing all over Utah and especially liked dancing at Lagoon and at various events throughout Salt Lake City. She attended East High School and graduated from the University of Utah with a degree in elementary education. She joined the Alpha Chi Omega sorority on campus and remained an active alum all of her life.

Jean married George Gadsden vonEberstein/Vaughn, of Savannah Georgia, the love of her life, on November 1, 1942 in Preston, Idaho. He passed away on March 23, 1973 at the age of 51, leaving her a widow for 35 years!

Because her husband was immediately shipped off to the Pacific front in WWII, (one week after they were married) she began her teaching career in Benjamin, Utah. She later taught 2nd grade at a school in Bennion and Taylorsville. She always said how rough those three years were having her husband away from her and overseas in danger. In her later years, she taught 2nd-4th grade at Roosevelt Elementary School in Salt Lake City. Jean and George were the parents of two children: Virginia (Ginger) Vaughn Gunn (Steven) and Alan Gene Vaughn (Julie Corona) as well as the grandparents of six grandchildren: Travis Gunn, Adrienne Gunn Hansen, Alisyn Gunn and Ashlin Gunn, Justin vonEberstein (Cynthia) and Kelly vonEberstein (Halla) as well as three great-grandchildren: Alyssa vonEberstein, Hayden Hansen, Jagger vonEberstein.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, George, and her sister and best friend, June Park.

According to her wishes, a special graveside service will be held on Tuesday, October 19, 2010, at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park.

Arrangements under the direction of Wasatch Lawn Mortuary, Salt Lake City, UT.