Vaughn Funeral Home
Little did Eldon Vaughn know back in 1933 he was starting a legacy that has lasted 90 years. Vaughn Funeral Home is one of the two oldest family-owned funeral homes in Rhea County. It began in 1933 by Eldon Vaughn in a house across from the current location. He and his wife Wincil ran it along with an ambulance service.
“Back in those days, the funeral homes ran the ambulance service taking people to the hospital. I was brought home from the hospital as a newborn in a vintage 1955 Meteor Cadillac hearse combination by my father. He was at then Coulter Garrison and Greene funeral home in Dayton embalming a body for them when my mother went to the pre-room and told him it was time, said Donna Vaughn.
He partnered with Paul Lyons, a local businessman, and the funeral home was known as Vaughn and Lyons Funeral Home. In 1935, Alfred “Tink” Vaughn began working at the funeral home. A few years later, Paul Lyons was bought out by Eldon and Tink’s cousin, John Vaughn, and the funeral home was then known as Vaughn and Vaughn Funeral Home until the late 1940’s and then it became Vaughn Funeral Home. In 1936 the funeral home moved to its current location, and in those days, it was known as Piccadilly Avenue before it was changed to New Lake Road.
“It's sad to remember, but the hearse was used in 1955 to transport the injured from the train/bus crash in Spring City,” she added. In that crash, 11 children were killed, and 36 others injured. Their ages ranged from 6 to 11. The women of the PTA petitioned Governor Frank Clement to require all school buses to stop, look and listen at railroad crossings. Within a month, the State of Tennessee had adopted the law. Within a year, this became a law nationwide and since then it has been worldwide.
Eldon, along with his brother Tink, operated the funeral home until Eldon’s death in 1968. Tink and Mildred Vaughn operated the funeral home until 1986 when they retired and sold it to their daughter, Donna K. Vaughn. Mildred died in 1991 and Tink died in 1993.
“When I started working here, my dad expected me to be here every day,” said Ms. Vaughn.
Donna was featured in an article in Southern Calls magazine with a write-up on the funeral home and the work that she has done restoring the older hearse and family limousine.
Southern Calls is a funeral home industry magazine that "reflects the funeral profession in the South – the comforting voice of those who have embraced its rich traditions, a collection of compelling stories and striking photographs, revealing the heart and soul of our profession."
Donna Vaughn has been a Licensed Funeral Director in the State of Tennessee since 1974. She graduated from John A Gupton College in Nashville in June of 1975, and became a Licensed Embalmer later that year. She has been a beloved fixture in the Spring City and Rhea County communities. She served as part of the Rhea County Purchase and Finance committee in the 80’s, being the north end of the county representative. She currently is serving on the board of the Rhea County Animal Shelter Association as Board President.
“There was a dance being held for some of the senior citizens and they called to see if they could use the 56 Cadillac Limousine. I drove it down and took them to the dance. They were so tickled to ride in it,” said Ms. Vaughn. She said that she had bought the Cadillac in Miami and brought it to Spring City and restored it. She also has restored the 55 Cadillac hearse as well.
In the inventory is a horse drawn carriage that was built in 1885. She has also restored it. “It was used by a funeral home in Decatur, and I bought it along with an original wooden coffin."