Iola June Vaughn
May 11, 1930–March 15, 2022
Our beloved mother, June Vaughn, succumbed to cancer at her home the morning of March 15, 2022. Born May 11, 1930, the second child of seven to Emil and Olive Gudmundson, June graduated from Blaine High School, class of 1948. She married Freddie Vaughn in 1951 and together they had three children; Linda, Fredrick and Gregory. They lived in Seattle until retirement in 1984 when they returned to Blaine.
June perfected her baking skills early on and enjoyed sharing her creations until days before her death. She was known as Cookie Grandma to the counselors and children of Camp Eyabsut. Sewing clothes, draperies and upholstering furniture were also among her talents. For many years she sewed comforters, gifting them to family for graduation. Mom was aware of social justice issues and how people were affected in her community. She wanted to leave the world a better place. Making sure children were safe and warm was #1 on her list. She sewed comforters for those in need and donated to HIV/AIDS organizations, and many nonprofits benefiting children. She expressed her love and respect for her Lummi neighbors by providing them countless comforters to fostered Lummi youth. One of her favorite memories was helping prepare meals for the 2007 Paddle to Lummi. She wasn’t a stranger to hard work.
Travel to Hawaii, Mexico, Iceland and Arizona (Mariners Spring Training Camp - Go Mariners!) were among her favorite vacations. She loved meeting new people, and made many friends over the years. She enjoyed reading all kinds of books (Women’s Reality by Anne Wilson Schaef changed her life) and she became quite a movie buff. June loved to share stories about her life and she did it with great humor. The more she shared with others the more she learned about herself. She gave birth to 3 babies but knew little about childbirth. When her great-granddaughter was born she was allowed in labor and delivery room with the midwife. She was a calm and encouraging coach for her granddaughter. She was the first one to hold the baby and she would tell this story with all the details anytime she could find someone who hadn’t heard it!
June lost her hearing gradually throughout her life. Her world truly changed when the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1995 passed. That is when closed captioning for the hearing impaired appeared on televisions. She wore hearing aids for 60 years and also mastered the art of lip reading. Upon her death, she donated her ear bones to Massachusetts Eye and Ear for research. Donating her ear bones was very important to her and she hoped others would also consider all types of organ donation. Ironically, listening to others was also one of her gifts. She listened to understand, not to reply.
June was predeceased in death by her parents; her dear son Greg; sisters Esther Pedersen, Margaret Rutherford, and Theo Hull. She leaves to survive her favorite daughter Linda (Richard) Pratt and her precious son Fred (Sally Hale); grandchildren Carrie (Joseph) Kinan, Erin Vaughn, Keenan (Pamela) Vaughn, Rick Vaughn (Vernessa Villar), Jennifer (Alan) Leach; five great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Also, sisters Norma Jean Bakarich, Lorene Meck; and brother Bud (Anita) Gudmundson, many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.
June’s Celebration of Life be held July 24, at noon at Free Church Unitarian, 1218 Harrison Ave. Blaine. A light lunch will be served after the service. Donations in June’s name may be made to Free Church Unitarian.
