Vaughan was born on 18th January 1946 in Walvis Bay, South West Africa, now Namibia, which at the time formed part of South Africa.
Vaughan’s father was employed by the Department of Customs and Excise, resulting in the family having to move often from town to town until finally settling in Pretoria, where he attended his beloved Pretoria Boys’ High School and Matriculated in 1963.
At Boy’s High Vaughan:
- participated in rugby, Captaining the School’s Second team in his Matric year;
- was a Student Officer in the School’s Cadet corp;
- and was a School Prefect.
After completing his schooling at Boys’ High, while Vaughan underwent his military training in Bloemfontein, Bethlehem and Potchefstroom, his family moved to Port Elizabeth.
Upon completion of his military service, Vaughan joined them in Port Elizabeth, where he commenced working for Barclays Bank (now First National Bank).
After a short time in the bank, Vaughan spotted an advert in the local newspaper offering positions to non-qualified seaman to work their passage on a Norwegian cargo ship to Japan. As Vaughan’s father was still employed at Customs, he was able to arrange for Vaughan to work his way as a deck hand to Japan. Vaughan duly resigned from the bank and set off for Japan.
Following Vaughan’s return from Japan a few months later, Vaughan rejoined the bank in whose employment he remained until his retirement in 2005.
As a young, single bank Clerk, Vaughan was appointed as relief staff to the various bank agencies throughout the Eastern Cape.
During 1968 Vaughan accepted a transfer to Butterworth in the former Transkei. It was in this small town in the Transkei where he met Charmaine. According to Vaughan, he was the most eligible bachelor in Butterworth for two reasons – firstly, he owned a motor vehicle and secondly, he was transferable out of Butterworth.
Vaughan was later transferred to Port Elizabeth and he and Charmaine were married in 1972.
Marion and Paul were born a few years later and Vaughan and Charmaine’s lives were never the same again! Vaughan always supported his children in every aspect of both their academic and sporting pursuits which resulted in Vaughan travelling all over the Eastern Cape to watch Paul’s School Rugby Matches and even driving a car full of screaming school girls to hockey matches around PE.
Vaughan was a keen Blue Bulls Supporter, and often commented that he was the only Blue Bulls supporter this side of the Orange River He even received a Blue Bulls Rugby Jersey awarded to him by Frik du Preez, a former Blue Bulls Rugby Legend. Paul and Vaughan would religiously watch Saturday rugby matches together as well as any other current sporting events.
Marion shared in the Vaughan’s love of good old fashioned “Cops and Robbers” Movies and TV, especially any BBC Detective Series or Murder Mystery from Inspector Morse to Chicago PD. He was known to drive the family crazy though, with his repetitive watching of the classics “Dinner for One” and John Cleese as Basil Fawlty in “Fawlty Towers” and Peter Sellers in “The Pink Panther”, which even though he’d seen a million times, he would still laugh hysterically.
Vaughan was a supportive husband and partner to Charmaine. She worked for a number of years at Standard Bank, and Vaughan used to joke that he “was sleeping next to the enemy”, but they had so much in common and always put their children first. Vaughan loved everything about Charmaine. He loved being in the garden trimming the Bougain Villas and raking the leaves in the front garden, as he took such pride in the loving home he and Charmaine created. He even sneakily asked Marion to organise flowers for Charmaine on their 44th Wedding Anniversary last year, a few days after he’d being discharged from Hospital. He scored big points with Charmaine for that one! You couldn’t slip anything past him!
During Vaughan’s 35 years in the bank, Vaughan would be transferred to various branches throughout Port Elizabeth, ironically finally retiring as the Branch Manager at the Kempston Road Branch of First National Bank in 2005, where he started at a bank clerk 35 years earlier.
Approximately 12 years ago Boys’ High attended a rugby festival at Grey High School. It was then decided to start a local Old Boys’ Association with Vaughan later assisting on the Eastern Cape Committee, where he assisted with the planning of the Annual Eastern Cape Old Boys Dinner, the 11th holding of which will take place this Friday.
Vaughan was also instrumental in organising his 50th Pretoria Boys’ High School Reunion in 2013 by bringing together the class of 1963 from all corners of the world.
He received recognition for his contribution to the Old Boys, by being conferred with the title of Honorary Life Vice President of the Pretoria Boys’ High School Old Boys Association.
Vaughan was also very involved in the Mill Park, Linkside and Environs Civic Association.
As a result of being admitted to the different Wards and Units to St. George’s Hospital under Dr Dupper, he became well known to most of the Staff. They were all so fond of him and his joke telling and eagerness to get up and follow all their recommended exercises and instructions. Thank you so much to the Medical staff, Unit Managers, Nurses, Physiotherapists, Administration Staff, Food Hostesses and Porters at St. George’s who cared for him like their own family and for the extra treats and spoils he received from you all!
Vaughan’s qualities are best summarised in a letter received from Tony Reeler, Head Master of Pretoria Boys’ High School:
” He is a true gentleman – kind, thoughtful and helpful and I found him nothing less than the perfect host. He is humble and sincere, avoiding the spotlight and preferring to do the work in the background. He shies away from any form of recognition but I want him to know how special he has been to me ever since he welcomed me so warmly as the new Headmaster seven years ago. There are very few human beings in the world with the qualities he has which is a pity because our world be so much better were it filled with more Vaughans. My thoughts are with him as he battles this disease – one he has fought without moaning, complaint and without seeking attention.”
Charmaine, Marion and Paul would like to thank everyone for their love and support, thoughts and prayers during this time, too many to mention by name.
From my side I am sure that you will all support me in saluting and paying tribute to Charmaine, Paul and Marion for their example of selfless devotion and sacrifice in caring and supporting their beloved husband and father during his illness until the end. We hold you close to our hearts and in our prayers as you now walk on this road less travelled. We trust and know that once the pain has gone and time has brought healing you will be left with a wealth of the most kind and loving memories of Vaughn to sustain you and keep him in your lives forever.