Barbara Jeanne Vaughan

Barbara “Barb” Jeanne Vaughan, age 84, of West Milton, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 1, 2024,
with her family at her bedside at the Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy, Ohio. She was born October 13,
1939, to Elmer Edward and Mary Claude (Fitch) Feltner in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Barb is preceded in death by her parents and sister, Patricia Feltner. She will be greatly missed and remembered
by her loving husband of 46 years, Henry “Hank” A. Vaughan; daughter, Christina Vaughan-Robinette (Joseph)
of Union; grandchildren, Noah Vaughan-Robinette, and Ava Robinette, both of Union; and brother, Robert
Feltner of Madison, Indiana.

Barb earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Dayton in 1961 and became an
elementary school teacher. She taught for 22 years in the Trotwood-Madison School District. After the birth of
her daughter, Christina, Barb stayed home for six years to help raise her. When Barb returned to work, she spent
the next 15 years teaching fifth graders at Precious Blood School in Dayton until she retired in 2005. Despite
her recent retirement after 38 years of teaching, Barb agreed to home-school her grandson, Noah, for the next
four years in all subject areas from his fourth to seventh grade. When Noah finally returned to public school as
an eighth grader, he excelled academically, graduating with honors in both high school and college. Noah has
now worked for several years as a registered nurse at a local hospital. Undoubtedly, Barb’s selflessness,
encouragement, guidance, and many hours of preparing and teaching lessons to her grandson were major factors
in his eventual academic and professional success.

Barb loved spending time with her grandchildren, reading, and traveling. She enjoyed visiting national parks.
Some of Barb and Hank’s favorite parks in the National Park System that they have visited over the years
included Mt. Rushmore, Bryce Canyon, Zion, Grand Teton, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Gettysburg
Battlefield, and especially Yellowstone. In mid-August 1977, the summer before they were married, Barb flew
out to Wyoming from Ohio. The two of them spent almost a week touring Yellowstone and Grand Teton. At the
time, Hank had just completed his fourth and final summer as a seasoned park ranger at Yellowstone with the
law enforcement division of the National Park Service. Barb also adored spending time at the beach. Several of
their favorite beaches to vacation at during the summer were North Topsail Island, the Outer Banks, Hilton
Head Island, Sarasota Beach, and Santa Belle Island. Additionally, Barb greatly enjoyed historic places. A few
of their favorite historic places to visit over the years included Colonial Williamsburg and Monticello, the
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, and especially their multiple visits to Shaker Village, the restored
Shaker colony. Finally, Barb loved travelling internationally to Italy, France, England, and Scotland.

Barb and Hank first met in March 1977 during Hank’s eleven-week student teaching requirement needed to
complete his elementary teaching certification. Barb served as Hank’s primary mentor, specifically in the
subject of language arts; she was both highly qualified and experienced. Barb and Hank’s relationship remained
professional until about two weeks before his student teaching term ended. That is when Hank asked Barb for a
date. It was on that first date that “Cupid’s arrows struck both their hearts” and they were married less than a
year later, on March 18, 1978. Needless to say, Hank received an excellent evaluation on his final student
teaching report!

The family would like to thank and acknowledge the love and devotion shown by two of Barb’s best friends,
Annette Dodsworth and Becky Cornett. Both made multiple visits to see Barb during her very lengthy
hospitalization and courageous battle with cancer.

The family will receive friends from 5-6 p.m. on Monday, April 22, 2024, at Hale-Sarver Funeral Home, 284 N.
Miami St., West Milton with a memorial service beginning at 6 p.m. If so desired, memorial contributions may
be made to the University of Dayton or the Lymphoma Research Foundation, or a charity of one's choice to
celebrate Barb’s life and honor her memory. Memories may be left for the family online at www.hale-sarver.com.

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