Thomas Abraham Vaughn

Thomas Vaughn, 86, of Phoenix, died Jan. 14, 2016 at Good Samaritan Hospital as a result of a brain hemorrhage. Tom was born Thomas Abraham Shamoon on March 16, 1929 in Chicago to Abraham and Blanche Myers Shamoon.

After his parents died, Tom and his sister, Nancy, moved to Indiana to live with his mother’s sister, Jessie, and her husband, Harold Vaughn, who adopted them. Tom was a U.S. Navy veteran. After the war, he was stationed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. He met and married Joyce Kroll in May 6, 1948, having three children, Alicia Rose, Brooks and Zev.

Tom worked as a carpenter, woodworker and general contractor in New York. Later he lived and worked in historical building and furniture restoration in Cooperstown, New York, and Williamsburg, Virginia. He met Shearon Donaldson in Cooperstown and they were married on November 3, 1973, in Williamsburg. Son Nathan Thomas was born there in 1977. Bart Louis was born in Flagstaff, Arizona in 1980. Tom and Shearon finally settled in Phoenix in 1980.

Tom was a talented and creative woodworker, known particularly for his re-creations of historic furniture and building elements. He was a Civil War enthusiast, participating in the North-South Skirmish Association for many years and later in historical enactments at Civil War and Revolutionary War events. He was an antique dealer and collector of artifacts, including historic cameras, guns and tools. Tom had over 45 years of sobriety through Alcoholics Anonymous. He was active in Silver Sneakers at the Maryvale YMCA, and as one of the original employees at the Cardinals Stadium, he was proud to have completed 10 years of service.

Tom loved hunting, camping and fishing and fixing things, both in upstate New York and in Arizona. He was preceded in death by his parents, his adoptive parents, his sister and his son Zev. Tom is survived by his wife Shearon, former wife Joyce and daughter Alicia Poppe (Lou) of Staten Island, New York; son Brooks Vaughn (Siwei) of Bowie, Maryland; son Nathan Vaughn (Tricia) and granddaughter Isla, of Oak Harbor, Washington, and son Bart Vaughn of Ottawa, Illinois.