Vaughn Bushman

October 3, 1944 - July 21, 2021

Vaughn Allen Bushman was born in Provo, Utah on October 3, 1944, the second child and first son of Vaughn Jason and Ina Claire Riley Bushman. From Provo the family moved to Oxnard, California. Vaughn Jr., which he was often called although he didn’t carry his father’s full name, lived there with his parents and older sister, Susan Ruth. His parents thought for a while that Vaughn would be their last child yet almost to the month of Vaughn’s birth four years later a brother, James was born. After that in approximate two-year intervals came Joseph, Matthew and then the twins, Martha and Marsha. With the growing family, Vaughn Jason and Ina decided to purchase a small farm in Mapleton, Utah. They considered that to be a better environment to raise their family allowing all the children to gain the experiences of farm life similar to what their father had gained while growing up in on a farm in Northern Arizona. Late Winter of 1955 found Vaughn Allen and his family settled onto a 30-acre farm in Mapleton, Utah. At this point, he was only 10 years old, and his little brothers were just six years, four years and two years old with the baby twins only a couple of months. Other than he and Susan the rest of the family was hardly suited to the tasks required on a farm. Needless to say, Vaughn become Dad’s right-hand man, his foreman, his chief laborer for all the farm chores and duties required to create a new life for the family. Susan Ruth also helped on the farm as well as performing the multiple tasks required to keep house and care for the little ones. Not long after William and Virginia joined to complete the family with nine children. So it was that Vaughn, and his older sister Susan were still quite young folks with adult roles to fulfill. Vaughn to us younger boys was always so big, so manly, so wonderful. He was our “Super Hero” who could do anything and amazed us with his brawn, wit, and courage. Vaughn was our very own “Action Figure” long before commercialism had ever invented such things! He would often wrestle the three of us at once and sometimes allow us to “pin the big man” to the ground. His jovial, deep throated laughter thrilled us, and we wanted only to be just like him. Vaughn made doing farm chores fun. He would often stash one of us in a large grain gunny sack and hoist us over his broad shoulders to our screams of delight. Then singing some silly jaunty he would march out to the fields just like the Pied Piper with the rest of us enchantedly following. Being an older brother carries some pretty strong expectations and Vaughn fulfilled them splendidly. As a young man, he faithfully served a full-time mission in the faraway country of Germany for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He retained this language throughout his life. Vaughn also served his beloved America as a soldier in the National Guard. He was amused that his military record states that he was a sharpshooter while the actual training he received was as a welder and equipment operator. Throughout his life, he accepted a multitude of church responsibilities. Vaughn married Pamela Weight and they raised two sons, Ward and Aaron. The family was devasted when a long anticipated little girl, Jarene Marie, died shortly after birth. Vaughn and Pamela raised their boys to value time with family and the four were always seen together. Although Vaughn and Pamela later divorced, they remained respectful of one another. Vaughn later married Shirley Ruth Atchison. The two newlyweds loved each other with all their hearts. Shirley's kindness and giving heart helped to make him more of the man he had always wanted to become. They traveled together and enjoyed each other until her death after a prolonged battle with cancer. He joined in matrimony with Pauline Reese, Shirley’s good friend. She loved doing all kinds of beautiful things with her hands and sharing her talents with those she loved. She had a close family and they added to the family time that has always filled Vaughn’s life. Vaughn cared for her until she passed away after a long illness. Vaughn always cherished time spent with children and grandchildren and all of his siblings and extended family. As stated by one of Vaughn’s nieces, “He has a gloriously big and gentle heart and soul.” Vaughn is survived by: Ward (son) Tracy, Janessa, Jacob, Cynthia, Aaron (son), Cindy, Martin, Eliza, Gaven. Siblings: Susan (Dale) Searle, Joseph (Donella), Matthew (Maureen), Martha (Garth) Cramer, Marsha Bon, William (Jennifer), Virginia (Neil) Giles. Vaughn lived a diversified life working in many occupations including grocery, paint contractor, and warehousing, to name a few. Perhaps his greatest legacy stemmed from his keen interest in Family History Research. He spent countless research hours, attended multiple family gatherings and conferences, communicated with genealogists and family members all over the world and added hundreds of folks to our family histories. Particularly, Vaughn enjoyed research on our mother Ina’s family line and uncovered stories and pedigrees of many of her ancestors. Vaughn authored a beautifully touching and intriguing historical-fiction novel titled, “From Edelweiss to Sego Lily--Book One, The Dagens,” based on the true-life story of his great grandmother Elizabeth Degen Bushman. His dream, though unrealized due to his failing health, was to complete Book Two and maybe more. Well now Vaughn, you can hear the story from Elizabeth’s own mouth. What a glorious thing! We as his family to whom he demonstrated such unselfish love, recommend Vaughn Allen Bushman to his God and His Son Jesus Christ, to live with them and all the many, many family members whom he served as he completed their temple work. There is now a grand reunion in the heavens as our beloved Vaughn returns home and continues his journey. Bye for now, dear brother, father, grandfather, uncle, and friend. We love you, Vaughn.