Charles Ray Vaughan Obituary (1940 - 2021)

Reverend Charles Ray Vaughan, 81, died on Friday afternoon, November 12, 2021, at Gibson House from pulmonary fibrosis. Graveside services will be held at Kallam Grove Christian Church Cemetery at 2 PM on Tuesday, November 16th. If there is inclement weather, the service will be in the church and committal at the grave. The family will greet guests in the Fellowship Hall following the committal. "Ray" as he was known to his family; "Charles" as he was known to friends and the surrounding communities, was born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia on February 20, 1940. At the age of 13, his mother moved him and his brother, Ronnie, from the home in Chase City, VA to Miami, Florida, where he later graduated from North Miami High School. Following graduation, he worked during the day and performed with a band at night. Then he moved to Washington, DC where he worked in the "fingerprint" division of the FBI. To reconnect with his father, he moved to Norfolk, VA and became a member of the Norfolk Police Department. It is here he met and later married Sharon Rose Salyer, a Norview High School teacher. Six months later, with encouragement from his wife, Charles began a 10-year journey for the education he craved. This included degrees from Old Dominion University, Duke Divinity School, Yale Divinity School and Doctoral studies at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary. After graduating from Yale, Charles and Sharon chose to return south and came to Rockingham County to New Lebanon, Mount Bethel and Kallam Grove Christian Churches. As time progressed and the churches grew, it became Mount Bethel and Kallam Grove and then Kallam Grove alone. Rev. Vaughan was with Kallam Grove Christian Church for 30 + years before his retirement in 2009. Following retirement, Charles and Sharon worshipped with Bibleway Community Church in Reidsville until his health intervened. Reverend Vaughan was predeceased by his father, Thomas Luther Vaughan and his mother, Leone W. V. Bost and stepfather, Harold Bost. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sharon Rose S. Vaughan; brother, Thomas Ronald Vaughan and wife, Jayne R. Vaughan; niece, Alison P. V. Banzhoff and husband, Andrew; grand-nephew, Andrew (Drew) Banzhoff and grand-nieces, Anna and Ava Banzhoff. He is also survived by several cousins including Dick Johnson and wife, Eileen, Wayne Reamey and wife, Becky and Gloria Fry and husband, Mike. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Kallam Grove Cemetery Fund, the General Fund or to a charity of the donor's choice. Sharon would like to thank Hospice of Rockingham County for their assistance in the last four months of his life. They were a tremendous help. The care Charles received at Gibson House during the last week of his life could not have possibly been given at home. Colonial Funeral Home & Chapel in Madison is serving the Vaughan family. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.colonialfh.net