Shirley Vaughan

Little Rock, Arkansas. Our mother, SHIRLEY ELIZABETH (ROWELL) VAUGHAN (90), classy, bright, talented and dedicated, of Little Rock passed away on Easter morning, April 9, 2023. She was born on October 20, 1932 in Malvern, Arkansas to Felver A. Rowell, Sr. and Alberta Rowell. She married her high school sweetheart and love of her life, T.C. Vaughan. The story we kids were told was that they eloped and got married in Biloxi, MS. It was an adventure from the beginning for sure. Like most other couples then, they did not have much money so Mom worked at the telephone company and other places to help support she and Dad during his college years in Shreveport, LA where their daughter, Valerie was born. They brought Mom the wrong baby at the hospital which she immediately noticed and corrected…we think anyway! We recall her stories of life with a young baby in the military barracks and using water sprinklers to keep the metal roofs cool as their only form of air conditioning. She continued to work through Dad’s dental school years in Memphis, TN where they would regularly see Elvis riding his motorcycle to work. Mom and Dad moved to Morrilton in 1959 where Dad opened his dental practice. Many lifelong and dear friendships were developed there. In addition to taking care of her family, Mom’s talents and creativity were expressed in a variety of avenues. She opened a craft shop in Morrilton and sold many of her own items like keychains, Christmas ornaments and other doodads. Mom also learned to make women’s hats and elaborate birthday and wedding cakes with her good friend, Gloria James. She opened and ran for a short time a tanning booth/body sculpting shop in Russellville and was an excellent seamstress evidenced by the ornate clothes and Christmas stockings she made for her grandchildren. She loved to golf and host couples bridge club. She loved decorating and our holiday meals were great, both in taste and presentation. We mentioned that she was dedicated, and she was, but another apt word for that might have been formidable, possibly a little stubborn like the man she married. She was an ardent advocate for her family and you always wanted her in your corner. By the same token, the times we kids found ourselves on her wrong side could be challenging. Maybe her “determination” is best captured by an episode after Dad had just had his heart attack. He was back in the garden behind his tiller on a hot summer day against her (and the doctor’s) direct orders and she could not get him to stop. So, she took her own hoe down to the garden and beat the tiller until it stopped running with Dad looking on both puzzled and amazed. Needless to say, she won that round. A couple of years after Dad passed away in 1997, Mom moved to Little Rock where she lived until her passing. After moving to Little Rock, Mom enjoyed dancing, gardening and filling her yard with as many types of flowers as possible. She worked in several home décor shops in Little Rock and had wonderful and kind friends in the Chevaux Court neighborhood who watched after her. Mom was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, Judith Teague, her brother, Felver A. Rowell, Jr. and her beloved husband, T.C. Mom is survived by her three children, Valerie Susan Peck (Fred) of Morrilton, Thomas Calvin Vaughan, Jr. (Martha) of Little Rock, and Martin Lee Vaughan of Clinton, eight grandchildren, Fred Thomas Peck (Kallesta) of Morrilton, Jonathan Vaughan Peck of Morrilton, Thomas Calvin Vaughan, III (Brittany) of Fayetteville, Kristen Nicole Hess (Dillon) of Little Rock, James Kyle Vaughan (Jaclyn) of Little Rock, Connor Norwood Vaughan (Madie) currently of Raleigh, NC, Martin Lee Vaughan, Jr. of Gladstone, Montana, and Marshall Brooks Vaughan (finance, Lia) of Memphis; ten great-grandchildren, Mickenzie, Mekel and Lillian Peck, Caleb Matthew, Emma Kate and Levi Thomas Vaughan, Caden David and Declan Vaughan Hess, Elisha James and Elise Claire Vaughan. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Linda Brashears (Larry) of Malvern and host of nieces, nephews and other family members. We were blessed with a wonderful loving mom, dedicated to her husband and family. Thank you, Mom, for all the ways you loved us. The family would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the wonderful staff at Parkway Heights and to Baptist Hospice for the love and care they gave to our mother. A family graveside service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 14, 2023 at Elmwood Cemetery in Morrilton, Arkansas.

Shirley Vaughan

October 20, 1932 - April 9, 2023