Luther E. Vaughn

Luther Earl ‘Pete’ Vaughn
November 3, 1944 - December 31, 2020

Luther Earl “Pete” Vaughn passed away on December 31st, 2020 in Eureka. He was born to James Cicero and Gertie Vaughn, on November 3rd 1944 in Pritcher, Oklahoma. He was the 4th and youngest son of eight children.

When Pete was six years old his family moved to Northern California. He attended Leggett School in Mendocino County before moving to Humboldt, where he met his wife Ella “Marie” Vaughn. Pete and Marie married in 1961, at age 17, and had five children. They remained dedicated and loving to each other through their 39 years of marriage, until Marie’s passing in 2000.

He lived in many of the small towns of Humboldt, before settling in Orick. Pete was a family man that loved his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids.

All of his life Pete Vaughn made his living off of the land and sea. He was a commercial surf fisherman for most of his years. If you wanted to find out if fish were running, you’d see what Pete was doing. He was a skilled hunter and trapper, and woodsman. He had taught and handed these skills down to not only his kids but grandkids and great-grandkids. He kept bees and made sweet jars of honey, all while wearing a tank top. He had an excellent green thumb. He loved growing tomatoes and his grandkids say he grew the best strawberries they’d ever had. He liked to find gold, he would say, just as a hobby. Pete was a friendly and kind-hearted person that will be greatly missed by anyone that had the pleasure of knowing him.

Pete was preceded in death by his parents Gertie and Cicero Vaughn, brothers Gerald Vaughn and James Presley “J.P.” Vaughn, his loving wife Ella Marie Vaughn, grandsons Jason Bachus, and Facundo Gifford, and also his second wife Gail Grafflin. He is survived by sisters Leona Walker, Betty Stacy, Linda Overly, Sharron K Woods, Barbara Nalley, and Andrea. Children, Verna Fernheart, Kathy Gifford, Glenda Hall, Lawrence, and Ronnie Vaughn. His grandkids Robert and Raymond Dickerson, Tyrone Bachus, Jessica and Fannie Gifford, John and Michael Hall, Ronnie and Derek Vaughn, Tyler, Samantha, Lauren, Abby, Calvin and Bella Vaughn. And his many great-grandkids. He was also survived by his friend and love of his life Shirley Dixon.

Arrangements were made by Paul’s Chapel in Arcata. If you would like to join the family for a prayer there will be graveside services in Trinidad on Saturday January 30, 2021 at 2 p.m. Please note that COVID-19 restriction and social distancing will apply. A celebration of life will be announced later when COVID restrictions are lifted.

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