Obituary for William H. Vaughan, III
William Henderson Vaughan, III, son of the late William Henderson, Jr., and Bernicestene Vaughan departed life on August 13, 2009. He was affectionately known as Junny.
He was born on December 7, 1944 in Farmville Hospital, Farmville, VA and was the oldest of 5 children. He confessed Christ at an early age and was baptized at Shiloh Baptist Church where he was an active member of the Junior Usher Board.
Junny attended A.G. Richardson Elementary School and graduated in 1963 from Luther H. Foster High School. After graduation, he attended Virginia State College (University) in Petersburg, VA where he received an academic scholarship. He left College after two years and joined the United States Army.
In 1965 he married Doretha Hobbs of Blackstone. They lived in Massachusetts. A few years later, they became proud parent of a son whom they called Bill.
While in the Army, he served in Saigon, Viet Nam from June 1966 to June 1967. Junny was a Specialist in the Radio Research Company working in Intelligence and was proficient in Morse Code. This assignment was in support of counterinsurgency efforts against communism in Viet Nam. He was later assigned to a 3-year tour in Kyushu, Japan.
After his Honorable Discharge in October 1971, he joined the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. He served as a police officer in the 7th District before being promoted to detective in Headquarters, District I. As a Detective, he worked in both the Robbery Branch and the Criminal Investigations Division.
Junny received many awards and commendations. On August 13, 1981, the Washington Post ran a 2-page article on Officer Vaughan and his partner, Stan Hardesty. They were chosen as the subject of the article because of their ability to solve crimes and Junny’s photographic memory.
One of Junny’s most outstanding accomplishments as an Officer was the successful recovery of a kidnapped infant. The rescue occurred within a few hours of the kidnapping. He was interviewed by DC television stations to discuss the case.
Junny was also assigned to Inauguration details as well as security details for the Mayor of DC.
After retiring in 1992, he remained in the DC area. He enjoyed playing golf, bowling, football and traveling. He lead a very active life until he developed health problems during the last few years of his life. He passed away quietly in his sleep.
He leave behind his Mother, Bernicestene Vaughan, a son, William Henderson Vaughan (YaVonne) and Granddaughter, Avneil, of Washington, D.C., sister Vivian Pleasants (Carl), Mitchellville, Md., brother, Brooks Vaughan, District Heights, Md., sister, Patricia Hairston (Rudy), Washington, DC, 3 nieces, 1 nephew, 4 great nieces and 4 great nephews. He was preceded in death by his Father, William Vaughan, Jr., and sister, Barbara Jean.
From the onset of his illness, it was friends like retired Offices Stan Hardesty of Delaware, Irvin Cousins of Blackstone, VA and Andrew Black of Oakland, California who came to visit and left him in better spirits and emotionally uplifted. He was lovingly cared for by Delta and other staff at Springtime Home.
Funeral Services Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church, Blackstone with interment in the Greenview Cemetery, Blackstone.
W.E. Hawkes & Son Funeral Home of Blackstone in charge of the arrangements.
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He was born on December 7, 1944 in Farmville Hospital, Farmville, VA and was the oldest of 5 children. He confessed Christ at an early age and was baptized at Shiloh Baptist Church where he was an active member of the Junior Usher Board.
Junny attended A.G. Richardson Elementary School and graduated in 1963 from Luther H. Foster High School. After graduation, he attended Virginia State College (University) in Petersburg, VA where he received an academic scholarship. He left College after two years and joined the United States Army.
In 1965 he married Doretha Hobbs of Blackstone. They lived in Massachusetts. A few years later, they became proud parent of a son whom they called Bill.
While in the Army, he served in Saigon, Viet Nam from June 1966 to June 1967. Junny was a Specialist in the Radio Research Company working in Intelligence and was proficient in Morse Code. This assignment was in support of counterinsurgency efforts against communism in Viet Nam. He was later assigned to a 3-year tour in Kyushu, Japan.
After his Honorable Discharge in October 1971, he joined the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. He served as a police officer in the 7th District before being promoted to detective in Headquarters, District I. As a Detective, he worked in both the Robbery Branch and the Criminal Investigations Division.
Junny received many awards and commendations. On August 13, 1981, the Washington Post ran a 2-page article on Officer Vaughan and his partner, Stan Hardesty. They were chosen as the subject of the article because of their ability to solve crimes and Junny’s photographic memory.
One of Junny’s most outstanding accomplishments as an Officer was the successful recovery of a kidnapped infant. The rescue occurred within a few hours of the kidnapping. He was interviewed by DC television stations to discuss the case.
Junny was also assigned to Inauguration details as well as security details for the Mayor of DC.
After retiring in 1992, he remained in the DC area. He enjoyed playing golf, bowling, football and traveling. He lead a very active life until he developed health problems during the last few years of his life. He passed away quietly in his sleep.
He leave behind his Mother, Bernicestene Vaughan, a son, William Henderson Vaughan (YaVonne) and Granddaughter, Avneil, of Washington, D.C., sister Vivian Pleasants (Carl), Mitchellville, Md., brother, Brooks Vaughan, District Heights, Md., sister, Patricia Hairston (Rudy), Washington, DC, 3 nieces, 1 nephew, 4 great nieces and 4 great nephews. He was preceded in death by his Father, William Vaughan, Jr., and sister, Barbara Jean.
From the onset of his illness, it was friends like retired Offices Stan Hardesty of Delaware, Irvin Cousins of Blackstone, VA and Andrew Black of Oakland, California who came to visit and left him in better spirits and emotionally uplifted. He was lovingly cared for by Delta and other staff at Springtime Home.
Funeral Services Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at Shiloh Baptist Church, Blackstone with interment in the Greenview Cemetery, Blackstone.
W.E. Hawkes & Son Funeral Home of Blackstone in charge of the arrangements.
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