Donald Max Vaughn

Donald Max Vaughn, 94, passed away July 6, 2025 at his home in New Palestine, Indiana. During his lifetime of varied experiences including military service, masonry work, teaching, coaching, and property appraising, he developed many close and enduring relationships. Known as Max to friends and colleagues (and “Bud” to family members), he considered himself to have been fortunate both personally and professionally throughout his life. “I was lucky in my friends and mentors,” he once recalled. Max was born December 7, 1930, in Indianapolis to the late Gerald and Eva (Rumple) Vaughn at the family’s home on south Ritter Avenue. The Great Depression had begun a year prior, but his hard-working parents and grandparents set inspiring examples through a difficult decade. “They were so responsible,” Max remembered. “Looking back, we made it through the Depression by hanging together as a family.” Irish bricklayers in his blue-collar neighborhood taught Max their craft. The skills he learned would serve him well in leaner times and provided work when he had summers off from teaching. He used the extra funds for family for family vacations traveling across the country visiting national parks and historic sites from coast to coast. History was Max’s favorite subject, which the bookshelves in his home reflect. He was a voracious reader. Max graduated from Warren Central High School in 1948. He would go on to join the U.S. Army as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division reaching the rank of First Lieutenant. In May, 1955, Max married the love of his life, Marjorie Carol Smith, and they soon started a family. Using the G.I. Bill, Max attended Butler University where he earned a degree in physical education. One of his instructors and mentors was the legendary basketball coach, Tony Hinkle, who emphasized mastery of sports fundamentals to his students and players. “If you are fundamentally sound, you can stay in the game,” Max recalled Hinkle saying. Max landed his first job as an educator in Warren Township where he taught, coached and worked in administration at the junior high level for 27 years, earning a master’s degree from Indiana University along the way. After retiring from the township, he worked as a property appraiser for nine years before taking up extended traveling and perfecting his winning shuffleboard technique. Friends and family will celebrate Max’s life Friday, July 11, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service at 12 noon at Shirley Brothers Washington Memorial Chapel, 9606 East Washington Street, followed by a graveside service at Washington Park East Cemetery. Max is survived by his children, Tobin Vaughn (Robert Williams), Shelley Vaughn and Kirby Vaughn; along with his sisters, Carolyn Duncan and Diann Mahler; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 68 years, Marjorie Vaughn; son, Matthew Vaughn; and brothers, Jack Vaughn, Jr., Bill Vaughn and Tommy Vaughn. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the St. Jude Children’s Hospitals and/or the Red Cross of America.

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Donald Max Vaughn

December 7, 1930 - July 6, 2025