Sue Vaughan, 76

Alma Sue Vaughan, 76, was born Oct. 28, 1946, in Williamsburg, Kentucky, and died Sept. 11, 2023, in Bedford, Texas.

Sue grew up on a farm with her parents and three sisters. While she enjoyed driving the tractor, she was more of a bookworm than a farm girl. She was even known to escape doing the dishes by hiding in the bathroom to read. Sue passed on her love of reading to her three daughters, who are all voracious readers.

Sue skipped first and fifth grades and was ready to graduate high school at 16. She started classes at Cumberland College and graduated with her teaching degree in 1962 at 18. Sue’s teaching career took her to Dayton, Ohio, where she met her husband, Bob Vaughan.

Sue first caught Bob’s eye at a singles dance, and it was almost love at first sight. After he won her heart, she was genuinely devoted to him for the rest of her life. The duo loved hiking and skiing and had many adventures across Bob’s home state of Montana. They moved to Spokane, Washington, in 1975, where their first daughter, Robin was born, followed by Melody in 1979, and Tina in 1984.

Soon after, they moved to Yuma, Arizona, for Bob’s career. However, the family continued to long for the mountains of Montana. With retirement, Bob and Sue achieved their lifelong dream of residing in Whitefish.

Aside from shopping with her girls, Sue’s favorite pastime was to plan her next trip. She visited all 50 states, and once she discovered cruises, she went everywhere, from the Rhine River to the Mediterranean Sea, with friends and family. Despite her love of travel, Sue was not known for her adventurous eating. Her family fondly remembers her passionate chant, "No mustard, no mayo, no dressing!"

Sue was a wonderful, loving wife and mother. Everyone who met Sue always commented on how sweet she was and how much they enjoyed her presence. Bob was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1989, and she became his most prominent advocate and supporter. When Bob passed away in 2012, Sue felt that a piece of her was gone, too. Her family takes much peace knowing she has now reunited with her soulmate.

Her parents, Frank and Janette Davis; her brother, Bobby Joe; sister, Diana Rose; and her husband, Bob, all preceded her death.

She is survived by her two sisters, Dolores Lawson, and Nina Simmons; sister-in-law, Nancy Scholten; three daughters and sons-in-law, Robin and Leon Boyko, Melody and Brad Niese and Tina and Spencer Logan; five grandchildren, Katherine Niese, Charlotte Niese, Elizabeth Boyko, Julian Logan, and Cameron Logan; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 3, at Whitefish United Methodist Church. All are welcome.