Eldon Ray Vaughn (Tulia)

Eldon Vaughn 74 of Tulia died Wednesday May 9, 2007 at Amarillo. Memorial services will be 10:30 AM Saturday at Kornerstone Funeral Directors Chapel in Tulia. Immediately following the service, the family will be at 709 N. Maxwell in Tulia. Cremation and arrangements are by Rector Funeral Home, 2800 S. Osage St. Amarillo, Texas. Eldon Vaughn was born to George and Agnes Vaughn on August 2, 1932 in Tulia, where he resided his entire life. He learned to fly at an early age, obtaining his commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. His love of flying became a lifelong profession which included pipeline patrol, charters, instructing and, his principal passion, crop dusting. He owned and operated Eldon Vaughn Aerial Spraying Service for many years and logged thousands of hours in the cockpit spraying for his friends and neighbors. During those years, Eldon also flew right seat, teaching many area people how to fly. Tradition had it that, after a student soloed, the shirt tail was cut off, dated, and hung on the airport office wall. That tradition left his office walls covered with shirt fragments. Many of his students went on to become private, commercial pilots and naval aviators. He was a member of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the Aerial Applicators Association and the American Legion in Tulia. Eldon loved his family, Texas, Swisher County, Tulia and the people in it. Eldon was preceded in death by his parents, brother; Albert, sister; Mary Lee, and nephew Quincy. He is survived by: his brother Charles “Hank” Vaughn and wife Marie of Amarillo, his sister Bettye Gillespie of Naples, FL, his son David and wife Susan of Maplewood, MN, daughter Nita Madden and husband Wales of Amarillo, and daughter Carrie Hayslip and husband David of Lubbock. He has 13 grandchildren: Jason, Marka, Shawnee, Brandi, Cody, Camille, Cyle, Sam, Jaimie, Caleb, Hallie, Wales IV, Hamilton, two great grandchildren and Treva Murrell, his long time companion and friend. Eldon was a good father, a faithful friend, a quick wit and a darn good aviator. He is missed by all that knew him. Eldon’s legacy and memory will continue for many years to come. The family requests memorial donations be to the Tulia Tornado Relief Fund, c/o Hale County State Bank P.O. Box 28 Tulia, Texas 79087. .