Photos are of Eddie on the baseball and football teams.

October 24, 2024October 24, 2024

Eddie Vaughan Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Oct. 26, 2024.

Fair Oaks Ranch – Eddie L Vaughan 78, Eddie passed away peacefully at his home on October 11, 2024 with his wife, son, and daughter present. Eddie was born April 12, 1946 in Mercedes, TX to Eugene and Jewel (Judy) Vaughan. His family moved to Brownsville when he was 1 1/2 years old.

As an outstanding athlete at Brownsville High School, he was selected All-District Quarterback and All-District pitcher his senior year. After graduation in 1964, he attended The University of Texas at Austin on a full athletic scholarship for football. He also played baseball for the Longhorns.

Following graduation in 1968, Eddie was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps. He was awarded medals for bravery, including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star with Valor for heroic action in Viet Nam.

When Eddie’s military commitment was completed, he returned to Brownsville to work for his father at Burton Auto Supply. He remained at Burton Companies until 1997 when he opened South Texas Freightliner in Pharr, TX where he worked until he retired.

Eddie married his wife, Janet Davidson, in 1973. They were blessed with three children. In 2019, Janet and Eddie moved to Fair Oaks Ranch near Boerne,TX to be near their children and grandchildren.

Eddie loved his family and was protective of them. He was a man of few words, but when he had something to say, he was sincere. He will be missed by those who knew him.

Eddie is survived by his wife of 51 years, Janet; son, Brett (Shae); daughter, Jenna Vaughan Serafy; grandchildren Jewel, Emma, and Hunter Vaughan and Ryleigh, Nicholas, and Tanner Serafy; brothers Eugene Richard (Freddy) and Charles W. (Carol) as well as nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was pre-deceased by his eldest son, Edward Brian, and parents, Eugene and Judy Vaughan. He will be laid to rest in a private graveside ceremony at a later date.

In lieu of floral remembrances, the family would be honored by donations to your favorite organization or charity.

Memories and Condolences
for Eddie Vaughan

Eddie passed on 10/11/24.  I am his older brother and graduated from UT in 1966.  The class he joined was 60+ recruits.  He was a quarterback and there were 11 quarterbacks.  With Coach Royal, you had to play defense before you could play quarterback.  Eddie played cornerback on the freshman team, but received a back injury against Rice.  Eddie was one of seven who graduated in four years. Richard Vaughan.

Gene Powell, Eddie’s Longhorn roommate and former Chairman of the Board of Regents for the U.T. system, shares his story. If any of you would like to add to Eddie’s memory page, please email Billydale1@gmail.com , and your comments will be posted. Billy, I am writing to share with you that we have lost another member of the 1964 Freshman Class of Longhorn Scholarship Football Players.  Eddie would absolutely demand that no one make a fuss over his passing, but I cannot let this great guy and fellow Longhorn leave us without informing his former teammates about it. We both played sports for our respective teams in the Rio Grande Valley but never played a game against one another.  Eddie was offered a four-year scholarship by Coach Royal early in the spring of 1964 and accepted the offer.  Eddie heard that I had also received an offer from Coach Royal.  So, even though we did not know each other, Eddie called me, introduced himself, and told me that he had accepted the scholarship letter from UT Austin and wanted to encourage me to accept my offer.  That phone call was the beginning of a very long friendship and did influence my decision on where to attend college.  Eddie and I were members of the first freshman class following the 1963 National Championship season.  As such we got to know many of the outstanding athletes on that great team and we also were assigned the chore of scrimmaging against them on a regular basis   1966 team photo: To the right of Diron Talbert, the tallest players on the third row, are Jim Helms of San Benito, Freddy Edwards of Donna, and Gene Powell of Weslaco. Directly behind Freddy Edwards is Eddie Vaughan of Brownsville. Eddie and I roomed together at Moore-Hill Hall for three years, where Eddie endured my early morning study habits, and I put up with his tough, cantankerous personality to become really close friends.  Between our junior and senior years, Eddie attended US Marine basic training at Quantico, Virginia.  Upon graduation, Eddie was commissioned as a lieutenant and shipped out to Vietnam.  Eddie was not in Viet Nam long when an underwater explosive device with a malfunctioning short fuse blew up in his right hand.  He lost a significant portion of his hand but the surgeons at the US Navy Hospital in San Diego were able to save and restore a portion of his hand.  Eddie spent a year at that hospital undergoing medical treatment.  He became so bored that he took flying lessons and learned to fly while he was in treatment as an outpatient of the Naval Hospital. During his four years at UT Eddie made numerous friends on the football team and was greatly respected by all that knew him.  He was a solid citizen and solid teammate.  Eddie was always respectful, polite and ready to stand up for his friends.  He was a man of few words but when he gave you his word you could take it to the bank.  Thanks, Gene Gene Powell at work as Chairman ———-

1965 team photoTo the right of Diron Talbert is Jim Helms of San Benito, Freddy Edwards of Donna and Gene Powell of Weslaco. Directly behind Freddy Edwards is Eddie Vaughan of Brownsville. Not sure how we got all