Durkee, Oregon
Kathryn L. “Kathy” Vaughan, 78, a longtime Durkee resident, died June 8, 2001, at her home.
Vigil services will be today at 7 p.m. at St. Francis de Sales Cathedral, First and Church streets. Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the cathedral. The Rev. James P. Logan and the Rev. Robert C. Irwin will concelebrate the Mass. Vault interment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery.
Visitations will be today until 5 p.m. at the Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St.
Mrs. Vaughan was born Nov. 29, 1922, at Hunters, Wash., and was raised in Portland. She received her schooling at Grant High School in Portland. She graduated from the University of Oregon in social work. While at the U of O she was president of her sorority, Chi Omega.
She moved to Baker City after graduating from college to work as a social worker for the state of Oregon. It was in Baker City that she met and married Floyd C. Vaughan Jr. in 1949. She left her job with the state to move to Hereford, where the couple started their family. They ranched in Hereford and Juntura before settling on the Oxman Ranch in Durkee Valley in 1960.
Though raised a city girl, she loved her life on the ranch and she always said she knew she was home when the mountains above Durkee Valley came into view.
Mrs. Vaughan assisted with the lunch program at the Senior Center. She spent much time as a volunteer for the Catholic Parish of St. Francis de Sales, helping with the community food bank and serving for many years as a Eucharist Minister for those unable to attend church.
She was a member of the St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church and prior to its closure, Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Durkee. She served on the Board of Directors of the Durkee Historic Preservation District. She was instrumental in preserving the Durkee Catholic Church by overseeing its deed transfer to the district for continued use as a community church.
After her husband Floyd’s death in 1982, Mrs. Vaughan continued to be involved in the family ranching business in Durkee and Hereford, which is entering the fourth generation in the Vaughan family. She devoted most of her time and unyielding support to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was always present at their scholastic, athletic and other endeavors. She always found time to enjoy gardening and yard work.
Mrs. Vaughan played a mean game of gin rummy, with many a hand played lakeside with her husband, children and grandchildren at Payette Lake in McCall, Idaho. She passed on to her children her wonderful sense of humor, unselfish nature and faith in God.
Mrs. Vaughan is survived by her children, Kathleen and Mark Eckerich of Cheney, Wash., Laurie and Mike Carnahan of Redmond, Charlie and Teresa Vaughan of Baker City, Margie and Bill Walter of Liberty Lake, Wash., Tom and Mindi Vaughan of Hereford, Reagan Vaughan and Steve Stevenson of Durkee, Heather Vaughan and Dan Davis of Hereford, Joan Vaughan of Boise, and James and Audrey Vaughan of Shedd; grandchildren, Shawna, Margo, Joel and Melissa Carnahan; Sam, Kate and Patrick Vaughan; Amy and Peter Walter; Jackson, Bob and wife Eva, Will, Mike, Tim and Julia Vaughan; Brent Vaughan; Joseph Davis; and Morgan and Kaylie Vaughan; great-grandchildren, Chad and Clayton Vaughan; her brother, Pete Dunn and his wife, Jeanne, of Portland; sister-in-law Liz Heriza and her husband, John, of Pendleton; a friend since childhood, Ruth Cahill of Portland; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Bessie Dunn; husband, Floyd; son, Joe, who died in 1996; and brothers, Aldon, Bill, Jack, Jim and Ralph Dunn.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the Durkee Historical Preservation District, Mountain States Tumor Institute, St. Francis de Sales Cathedral or the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This may be done through Coles-Strommer Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Ore., 97814.
Used with permission from: The Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, June 15, 2001
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor