John 'Vern' Gaughen

“Vern” Gaughen, age 68, of Aurora, died Wednesday morning, in Memorial Community Care at the Memorial Hospital in Aurora.

Funeral Services were held at 10:30 A.M., Saturday morning, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aurora. The Rev. Douglas Morin and Rev. Victor Derwinski officiated. Interment was held in the Aurora Catholic Cemetery.

OBITUARY: “Vern” Gaughen

John LaVerne “Vern” Gaughen, the son of Edward “Butch” and Lucille (Pollard) Gaughen, was born at Schuyler, Nebraska, on August 21, 1927, and died at Aurora, Nebraska, on May 1, 1996, at the age of 68 years, 8 months, and 11 days.

He grew up and received his education at Schuyler, and graduated from High School with the class of 1945. After graduation, he worked on the family farm with his father for four years, and later was employed at Higgin’s Mill in Schuyler.

On November 22, 1949, he was united in holy matrimony to Emma Vacha, at Howells, Nebraska. He drove a truck for Dowd and Solts, and in 1958, they moved to Aurora where he managed Dowd Grain, which was later changed to Cargill, until his retirement in 1985. For the past year and a half, due to failing health, he had resided at Memorial Community Care.

“Vern” was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Aurora, and belonged to the Knights of Columbus. He was also a member of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, and had been a member of the Aurora Volunteer Fire Department, served on the Airport Authority, the Hamilton County Fair Board, and was president of the Nebraska Grain Improvement Board.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Those who remain to cherish his memory are his wife Emma of Aurora; 2 sons, John and his wife Vereen of St. Paul, and Pat and his wife Karen of Hampton; 4 daughters, Cathi Gaughen of Central City, Coleen Clayton and her husband Jim of Central City, Jeanette Williams and her husband Craig of Aurora, and Chris Gaughen of Central City. Nine grandchildren, Bridget Butt and her husband Randy, John Gaughen, Jr., Aaron Clayton, Chera Clayton, Jed Kruger, Ashley Williams, Alex Williams, Kendra Gaughen and Kayla Gaughen. 2 great grandchildren, Zachary Butt and Lindsey Butt. 2 sisters, Bernidette Vrzak and her husband Frank of Schuyler, and Geniveve Parr and her husband Denis of Omaha, and many other relatives and friends.

Vern’s stories and sense of humor will be greatly missed.