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Richard (Dick) G. Vaughan passed away peacefully Tuesday, May 10, 2011 after an eleven year battle with colon cancer. He was surrounded by his loving wife and two daughters in his home enjoying the view of the city. Dick was born in Middleton, Wisconsin in 1932. He moved to Santa Fe, NM in 1949, and then to Albuquerque in 1954. He graduated from Santa Fe High School in 1950, and joined the US Navy directly after high school. He served as a sonar man on the USS Small for three years. After the service he met and married his late wife Tommy Merritt of Estancia in 1954, and had two daughters Debra and Leslie. He attended the University of New Mexico and obtained his undergraduate and master's degrees in civil/structural engineering. He went on to complete his PhD in structural engineering and soil mechanics at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. Dick went on to design many highly technical and famous projects including the structural systems for the Very Large Array (VLA) in Magdalena, NM. Dick was also a civil servant for many years. He served on the planning commission and was proud of his contribution to the development of Albuquerque's east side during the 1960's. In 1973, he served on the Albuquerque City Commission and was acting mayor for six months. He married his wife Joy in 1995. Dick semi retired in the mid 90's but kept himself busy with small engineering projects, extensive travel with Joy, Wednesday afternoon golf grudge matches with his friends, and by keeping the local papers on their toes writing opinion letters to the editor, many of which were published. Dick had a great outlook on life and was known by all as an eternal optimist. He is survived by Joy Vaughan, his wife of 16 years; daughters Debra Vaughan Cleff and husband Robert Webb, Leslie Vaughan and husband Jacob Munson; step-daughter Lynn Lancaster and husband Mark; stepson David Ricketts and wife Lisa; and grandchildren Dana Cleff, Brie Page and husband Tim, Drue Webb, Jessica Jimenez and husband Houston, Joshua, Elizabeth and Jonathon Ricketts; and great-grandchildren Riley Page, Zaden Lancaster, and Harlan Jimenez, and as he would say, "a bucket full of wonderful friends". He was preceded in death by Tommy Merritt his late wife of 37 years, his brothers, Bud, Ross and Jerry Cramer, and Bruce Vaughan, and step-granddaughter Melissa Lancaster. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, at Daniels Family Funeral Services, 4310 Sara Road SE, Rio Rancho. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Presbyterian Healthcare Foundation Cancer Program at P.O. Box 26666, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87125-6666. To view funeral information or leave condolences please visit www.danielsfuneral.com. Mr. Vaughan's care has been entrusted to: Daniels Family Funeral Services Sara Road Chapel 4310 Sara Road SE Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124 505-892-9920
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