Howard Vaughan

Vaughan, Howard, age 105, of Birmingham, AL, died May 7, 2022. Mr. Vaughan was born October 10, 1916, in Alabama City, AL, and was the fifth of 7 children and only son born to Samuel Arthur and Jennie Champion Vaughan. Left behind to remember, share, and enjoy many, many fond memories of his life are his daughter, Pamela Vaughan Anderson Penrod, two granddaughters, 7 great-grandchildren, and 6 great-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one granddaughter, two sons-in-law, and his faithful and loving wife, Lee Vandever Vaughan, to whom he was married 82 years and 8 months before her death in 2020. When they married in 1937, one of the administrators of St. Vincent’s Nursing School where LeeLee had been a student for 5 months said, “It won’t last 6 months.” She was right. The marriage of this 21 year old young man and 20 year old young woman lasted 992 months and began with them taking a taxi to the preacher’s house for their ceremony but, due to limited resources, taking the streetcar back to town; weathering the hard times of the Depression on a shoestring budget; and surviving the separation and hardships during WWII.

During WWII, Mr. Vaughan served our country as a Storekeeper in the United States Navy, ultimately stationed on the island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific. During the Korean War, he served in that same role while stationed in Charleston, SC. He went to work for Birmingham Electric Company in 1937 and retired from Alabama Power Company in 1981 with over 44 years of service.

When he was 19 years old, Mr. Vaughan obeyed the gospel and was baptized into Christ for the remission of his sins. He was able to attend worship services past 100 years of age and was a member of the Edwards Lake church of Christ at the time of his death.

His family and all who knew and loved him will miss greatly not only his wisdom and pragmatic approach to life but listening to him talk about life through the years. He especially enjoyed sharing how many things in his life had fallen into place at just the needful and right time, being sure the listener knew that those “right things” weren’t because of him but because of God.

The longer he lived, the more he realized how richly God had blessed him with His providence, salvation, mercy, and grace.

If you wish to honor Mr. Vaughan with a remembrance, please consider donating to a charity that benefits the hungry, children, or animals, all “soft” spots in his heart, or a charity close to your heart.

There will be a visitation for Mr. Vaughan on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Ridouts Trussville Chapel, 1500 Gadsden Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35235, from 1:00PM to 2:00PM with the funeral service immediately following at 2:00PM.