Sandra "Sam" Sorensen Vaughn

Our family is heartbroken at the sudden loss of our mother, grandmother, great grandmother and aunt, Sandra Sorensen Vaughn on Thursday April 18th at age 86. Sandra, affectionately known as “Sam” to all her family, was a resident of Fort Walton Beach (Okaloosa Island) since the year 1997 after retiring from her business of owning and managing “Sarge’s Convenience Store” (located in Locust Fork, Alabama) with the father of their children, Lewis Vaughn.

Sam was born in the Birmingham, Alabama area in 1937 to her parents Chris and Ethel Sorensen who preceded her in passing. Sam made many childhood friends while growing up in Kimberly, Alabama and attending Kimberly Elementary School and Mortimer Jordan High School in Morris Alabama. After graduating from high school, Sam met and married Lewis Earl Vaughn and joined him in his Army career as a devoted military wife and mother. She accompanied Lewis with their children to Fort Lee, Virginia; Darmstadt, Germany;  Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Fort Riley, Kansas; and Fort Carson, Colorado. Sam loved being a military wife and enjoyed the camaraderie of her peer military wives and their families. She still maintained contact with many military family friends from the early 1960s. She understood the sacrifice and duty her husband Lewis undertook as a service member and was a shining example of a devoted wife. Her own sacrifice included the dutiful care and love of their family during Lewis’s 2 tours in Vietnam.

To know Sam personally was to realize she was a loving and caring friend. She worked hard at her positions of employment and career her entire life but never hesitated to recognize family and friend birthdays, weddings, funerals, and new baby announcements. She always sent cards, gifts, and encouragement. Sam was quick to love, which included her undying devotion and loyalty. Sam always had a friendly greeting when crossing paths with new acquaintances and loved ones alike – she made instant friends. Her family and friends were her lifeblood. To describe Sam as ‘young at heart’ is an understatement.  It is impossible to mention all the many friends, business associates, and extended family that Sam stayed in touch with on a regular basis. She loved to pass along news that would interest her family and friends.

Sam is survived by her three children:  eldest son Danny Vaughn (wife Holly) of Cantonment, Florida; and twins, daughter Elaine Vaughn of Birmingham, Alabama, and son, Dwayne Vaughn (wife Maria) of Fort Pierce, Florida. Surviving extended family members include nephew Robert Sorensen (wife Becky) of Greensboro, North Carolina; niece Frieda (Ducky) Higgins of Gardendale, Alabama; niece Cathy Cox of Kimberly, Alabama; and many grand and great nephews and nieces and cousins. Also surviving are grandchildren Wesley Vaughn of Southlake, Texas; Jessica Soloman of Birmingham, Alabama; David Vaughn of Orlando, Florida; Austin Vaughn of Jacksonville, Florida; and Jeleesa Lowry of Birmingham, Alabama. Sam was preceded in death by grandsons Casey Vaughn and Jeremy Wood. Surviving great grandchildren include Colin Soloman, Lucas Vaughn, Elaina Vaughn, Adalyn Vaughn, and Ceylin Karaaslan.

Since her retirement to Fort Walton Beach, Sam has been blessed with the love and friendship of fellow beach-lovers, retirees, condominium owners, and others who know Sam at the local Publix, Winn-Dixie, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Beals, TJ Maxx, and other local businesses she visited regularly in her weekly routine. Her surviving dear Gulf Coast friends include Laurie and Steve Price of Navarre; Ida Lutz and Mike Fenerty of Fort Walton Beach; Alicia Ellis of Pensacola; Joanne McDevitt of Fort Walton Beach; and many others.

During the last day of her earthly life, Sam was enjoying the company of her dear friends Linda Sorensen, Monte Sue Nelson, and niece Ducky Higgins. The ladies were set to enjoy a week of fellowship and fun at Fort Walton Beach.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be offered to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation© at www.t2t.org. Memorial services will be held in Fort Walton Beach in May and Kimberly, Alabama in June. The family will provide details about the services in the coming days.