Eugene Vaughn
Eugene "Gene" Vaughn, 81, died peacefully in his sleep Monday May 5, 2014 following a five-month struggle with pancreatic cancer. His wife of nearly 63 years, Olive was at his side. Eugene was the number eight child of 16, so it was joked they had run out of names, and that's why he had no middle name. He was born October 7, 1932 to C. D. and Virgie Vaughn in southwest Mississippi County and attended local schools. Eugene left home and joined the Army when he was 15. He had said he wanted to get out of the cotton patch. Six months later, after a bout of homesickness, he wrote his older sister Mildred, who let the Army know his true age. He was released, came home and graduated from Missco High School. Eugene was widely known by his childhood---and appropriate--nicknames "Tuff" or "Tuffy".