In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to The R. L. Vaughan Scholarship Fund,
c/o ECSU Foundation, P.O. Box 1467, Elizabeth City, NC 27906
or
https://app.mobilecause.com/form/al4kvA?vid=itrvw
"A Celebration of Life" will be held for Coach Vaughan on June 19, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at the Elizabeth City State University's Robert L. Vaughan Center.
The Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's Omega ceremony beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Link for his service:
https://youtu.be/KeNLp0AR5X4
Obituary
Robert "Bobby" L. Vaughan, Sr.
Robert L. "Bobby" Vaughan, Sr., formerly of Elizabeth City, NC, passed away on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, at Novant Presbyterian Hospice in Charlotte, NC.
He was born January 1928 in Petersburg, Virginia to Pearl M. Vaughan and Sarah Short Vaughan. He was predeceased by his parents, wife of 56 years, Valerie Word Vaughan, and sister, Catherine Vaughan Bland.
Bobby was educated in the public schools of Petersburg, Va. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees, at 19 and 20 years of age, from Virginia State College (now University) and Columbia University, respectively, and completed all course work in Boston University's Ph.D. program. While at Virginia State, in addition to other extracurricular activities, he became a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
Bobby, at 21 years of age, was signed to become the Head Basketball Coach at the Elizabeth City State Teachers College (now University) to begin the Intercollegiate basketball program. Following the inaugural season during which time the college's first gymnasium was completed, his team's play earned him "Coach of the Year" accolades in the Eastern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (EIAC).
He took a two-year military leave in 1950 and resumed his coaching duties in the fall of 1952. Five years and four EIAC championships later, he was appointed as the University's Director of Athletics and Chairman of the newly approved Health and Physical Education Department. Shortly after assuming these positions, he aligned the program with the prestigious CIAA. ECSU basketball teams under Bobby's leadership captured five CIAA Divisional Championships and two CIAA tournament crowns in the twenty-seven seasons which would follow. During his 33-year tenure, Bobby Vaughan's ECSU squads amassed 502 NCAA certified victories. His teams advanced to the national playoffs seven times, winning three district championships in the NAIA, advanced to the NAIA National Championship final four times, and won the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Championship once, advancing to the final eight.
As Director of Athletics, he expanded the program into a prestigious 11 sports program for men and women, supervised the construction of a modern multi-use Athletic and Physical Education Center which would eventually bear his name, "The Robert L. Vaughan Center." Vaughan was elected President of the CIAA during a pivotal stage in the CIAA's history. As a tribute to his leadership, the CIAA made Vaughan a lifetime honorary president, and later presented him the prestigious CIAA "Living Legend Award. "
He helped charter the Lambda Gamma chapter at ECSU and served as an advisor and mentor to his players, other students, staff, and faculty members.
Vaughan has been inducted into the following Halls of Fame: NC Sports Hall of Fame, the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Virginia State University, and Elizabeth City State University. He has won numerous awards throughout his career and has been honored by groups and organizations all over the United States, including but not limited to, News and Observer 'Tar Heel of the Week", the North Carolina Governor's Award "Order of the Longleaf Pine", commissioned an honorary Kentucky Colonel, and the National Basketball Coaches Association Merit Award. He is one of the three college coaches in North Carolina to have a building to be named in his honor while still living. Coach Vaughan served on the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors for six years, two years of those years as Board President.
His service to the community included chairing the local ABC Board and the Elizabeth City Pasquotank Airport Authority and serving on the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Merger Study Committee, the ECSU Chancellor's Selection Committee, the Tourism Board, the Election Board, and the Boys Club, and the Museum of the Albemarle. He was involved in civil rights movements and activities in Elizabeth City, especially in the 1960s and the 1970s.
Bobby, Sr. was a longtime member of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church in Elizabeth City, where he served as a trustee, chaired the trustee board, was named Trustee Emeritus, a member of a Pastor's Search Committee, a member of the Men's Choir and chair of a Men's Day program. He unselfishly gave of his time and talents to his church.
Bobby, Sr. kept active: he swam, played tennis, and rode a bicycle for years, and he loved to play golf and during his 80s finally made a "hole in one." He loved to fly and obtained his airplane license in the late 70s. He purchased a plane and continued to fly until his mid-80s. He loved traveling, both abroad and domestically. He walked every day until his brief illness prevented him from doing so. He loved his dogs – Candy, Pierre, King, and Rocky his latest.
Leaving to cherish his memories and his beautiful life are his daughters, Michel and Zoe, son and daughter in law, Bobby, Jr., and Nina; grandchildren, BJ (Eamon) and Chandler; great-granddaughters, Chloe and Ava; sister, Laureta Matthews of Durham, NC, brother-in-law, Hugo Word (Doris) of Washington, DC, special daughter and sons, Patti and Barry Hamler and Abdul Rasheed; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, basketball players, students, and friends.
