Retired Covenant pastor Charles Ray Vaughan died November 12. He was 81.
Charles was born in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, to Thomas Luther and Leone W. V. (Bost) Vaughan on February 20, 1940.
He married Sharon Rose Salyer on August 17, 1963. Six months later, he began a 10-year journey in higher education, which included a BA from Old Dominion University, master’s degrees from Duke Divinity School and Yale Divinity School, and doctoral studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
After graduating from Yale, Charles and Sharon served United Church of Christ churches in Torrington, Connecticut, and a three-church parish in North Carolina. In 1993, he brought two of those congregations—Kallam Gove Christian Church in Madison, North Carolina, and Mt. Bethel Christian Church in Summerfield, North Carolina—into the Covenant. He finalized his transfer of ordination to the Covenant in 2003.
He served Kallam Grove for more than 30 years until his retirement in 2009.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Sharon Rose; a brother, Thomas Ronald (Jayne); a niece, Alison P. V. Banzhoff (Andrew); one great-nephew and two great-nieces.
Graveside services were held at Kallam Grove Christian Church. Memorials may be sent to Kallam Grove Cemetery Fund or the general fund.
Peace be to his memory.
