J. Thomas Vaughan “Tom” died on April 3, 2018, in Williamsburg, VA at the age of 83 after a nearly two-year courageous battle against cancer. He was the son of T. Herbert and Helen Schutte Vaughan. Tom was predeceased by Brenda Gunn Vaughan, his devoted wife of 57 years. He is survived by his daughter Elizabeth Vaughan Syer and her husband John B. Syer, Jr.; daughter Christine Vaughan Warhurst; two brothers, Herbert E. Vaughan and Dr. John W. Vaughan; four granddaughters, Madison and Grace Warhurst and Vaughan and Virginia Syer; and three nieces, Diane Monaco, Margie Snead and Courtney Vaughan Dorsey.
Tom was born and raised in Richmond and graduated from Albert H. Hill, Jr. High, Thomas Jefferson High School and the Virginia Military Institute,‘57. He later attended the Stonier Graduate School of Banking at Rutgers University and the Virginia Bankers Association School of Bank Management at the University of Virginia.
Following his commitment to the U.S. Army, Armor where he served as a tank platoon leader, Tom began his 39-year banking career. In 1959 he joined the executive training program at the First & Merchants National Bank in Richmond. He eventually served in a number of senior management positions in Richmond, the Pentagon, Staunton and Newport News, where he was promoted to President of the First & Merchants National Bank of the Peninsula. He resigned from F&M in 1980 to become President and Chairman of the Board of the First National Bank of Martinsville & Henry County.
In 1987, United Virginia Bank acquired the Martinsville bank and Tom returned to Richmond in 1990 to become President of the Crestar Foundation and Senior Vice President of Government Relations. In 1996, Tom retired and moved back to Kingsmill in Williamsburg.
During his career he served on numerous boards including: The Bassett Walker Co. of Martinsville; Blue Shield of Virginia; Peninsula Economic Development Corp.; James City County Industrial Development Authority; Martinsville and Henry Co. Economic Development Corp.; President, United Way of Martinsville; Board of Trustees, Memorial Hospital of Martinsville; Board of Directors, King Daughters Hospital, Staunton; Virginia State Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Bankers Association School of Bank Management at UVA; and Board of Directors, The Williamsburg Landing.
Tom was a former member of the Hermitage Country Club, the Staunton Country Club, the Country Club of Virginia and the Kingsmill Golf Club. In his retirement he served as President of the Williamsburg German and the Crown Colony Club of Williamsburg. He was active in Baptist and Presbyterian church memberships where he served as deacon and elder.
Tom loved golf and served as a “starter” for both the P.G.A. and L.P.G.A. tournaments held at Kingsmill. He described himself as a passionate but pathetic golfer. He thanked God daily for his family, Country, VMI, friendships and all his other blessings. In addition, he and his daughters thank the medical staff and teams at the Williamsburg Landing and Hospice of Virginia for the tender care provided to the very end.
A service will be held on Thursday, April 12, at 2:00 p.m. at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church, 215 Richmond Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185. A reception will immediately follow the service at the church.
Donations can be made to either Williamsburg Presbyterian Church or to support the ministry of Bill Warrick at The International Foundation, P.O. Box 20813, Washington, DC 20026-3813. Please write “Bill Warrick Account 842” on the memo line of checks made payable to The International Foundation. Online condolences may be shared at www.nelsenwilliamsburg.com.
