Obituary, Raymond Keith Vaughan

Raymond Keith Vaughan, 83, died at home in Patterson, NY on August 6, 2019, in the presence of his family.

He leaves behind his wife of 57 years, Joan, his son Thomas and his wife Margot, his son Kevin and his wife Meg, his daughter Jennifer and her husband Kevin, and his son Arthur and his wife Anya. He is also survived by sixteen grandchildren — Patrick, Timothy, Thomas, Maggie, Brian, Bridget, Juliet, Olivia, Peter, Keith, Fiona, Lily, Joseph, Róisín, Luke and Finn — along with numerous nieces and nephews.

His viewing will be held at Horn & Thomes, Inc. Funeral Home at 83 E. Main Street in Pawling, New York, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 11. His funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church at 39 E. Main Street in Pawling, New York, on Monday, August 12 at 10:00 a.m.

Raymond was born to John and Gertrude Vaughan on August 1, 1936, in the Yorkville neighborhood of Manhattan. He was one of seven children, along with his brothers John Desmond, James Gordon and Joseph, and his sisters Eileen, Mary and Sheila, all of whom he survived. He served as an altar boy at St. Ignatius Church on Park Avenue, attended their grade school, then moved on to Xavier High School.

In 1954, Ray enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served on the minesweeper USS Valor (MSO 472), cruising the Caribbean, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In 1957, he found work in the mailroom of the Mobil Oil Corporation, the beginning of a 37-year career with the company culminating in his role as manager of public relations. During his early years at Mobil, he attended night school, earning his bachelor’s degree from Baruch College, City University of New York.

Ray left Mobil in 1994 and began a long and fulfilling retirement during which he published four books, attempted to visit every Major League ballpark in the country, vacationed with children and grandchildren and enjoyed cruises with his wife, her brothers, Arthur and Raymond, and sister-in-law Mary. He also spent time working on behalf of his favorite causes and charities, including the Sisters of Life in New York, on whose board he sat, and Jeremiah House in Loudoun County, Virginia, for which he served as president.

A man of deep faith, Ray was for years an active parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church in Old Bridge, N.J., where he served as a lector, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and parish council president. He also professed a lifelong devotion to the New York Yankees, the movies of John Wayne, the music of Benny Goodman, and a well-made Manhattan. He was the life of every party.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Missionaries of Charity at 344 E 146th St, The Bronx, NY 10451 or to the Sisters of Life, 38 Montebello Road, Suffern, NY 10901.

Author: Harlem Valley News