Mr. Lester Wayne Vaughn

Mr. Lester Wayne Vaughn, 90, formerly of Mount Airy, died Saturday, March 17, 2012, at Brookridge Retirement Community in Winston-Salem, NC. Mr. Vaughn was born February 2, 1922, in Surry County, the son of the late Zebulon Vance Vaughn and Ella Mae Robertson Vaughn. Mr. Vaughn was retried after 61 years with National Mount Airy Furniture, a Division of Bassett Furniture Industries, where he last served as purchasing director and accountant. Since the age of 18 he was an active member of First Baptist Church, Mount Airy, where he sang in the choir, taught Sunday School, and served on the deacon council and on personnel and other committees. He was faithful to God and believed he owed all his successes to the Lord. He enjoyed recalling memories of his childhood and had fond memories of going fishing with his father. He said, "My father was a great fisherman, and it would thrill me to catch fish with him in my young days." Mr. Vaughn was a member of the Mount Airy Bears football team that won the state championship in 1938 and was also editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. He married Elizabeth Stanton Pardue on November 23, 1940, and three and a half years later went into the U. S. Army to serve during World War II. He was a sergeant in the 1st Infantry stationed in the European Theater of Operations in Belgium including the Battle of the Bulge. In addition to his parents and wife Elizabeth, he was preceded in death by brothers, Herschel Vance Vaughn and Arvel Leo Vaughn; sister, Margaret Vaughn Frye; and infant brothers, Carl and Carlie Vaughn. Surviving are four daughters and sons-in-law, Carolyn and Jerry Gilbert of Winston-Salem, Martha and Irving Boyles of Statesville, Mary and Charles Hennis of Louisville, KY, and Anne and George Winebarger of Kingston, TN; nine grandchildren, Cathy Ray (Chris) of Charlotte, Emily Ransom (Earl) of Raleigh, Amy Guess (Frank) of Athens, GA, Susan Burkett (Scott) of Chapel Hill, David Boyles (Mara) of Los Angeles, CA, Mark Hennis (Angie) of Louisville, KY, Craig Hennis (Tonia) of Louisville, KY, Jennifer Pelletier (Dan) of Laurel, MD, and Joy Woodie of Kingston, TN; thirteen great grandchildren, James, Stacy, and Emma Ransom; Connor Guess; Caroline and Wyatt Burkett; Jonathan, Will, and Anna Kate Hennis; and Kyle, Olivia, Emily, and Aubrey Hennis; brothers and sisters-in-law, Haywood (Anne), Bernie (Linda), and Donald (Loretta) Vaughn, all of Mount Airy. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at 2:00 PM, at First Baptist Church, Mount Airy, with the service conducted by Dr. Roger Gilbert and interment to follow in Oakdale Cemetery with full military honors by VFW Memorial Honor Guard, Mount Airy Post 2019 and Pilot Mountain Post 9436. The family will receive friends on Tuesday evening, March 20, from 6:00 to 8:00 at Moody Funeral Home. Flowers will be accepted, or memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, 714 N. Main Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030. The family would like to express their appreciation to the staff at Brookridge Retirement Community for all their care and kindness.
Online condolences may be made at www.moodyfuneralservices.com