Samuel Ray Vaughan

On Monday, October 5, 2026, while surrounded by family, Samuel Ray Vaughan peacefully stepped into heaven and the presence of his Savior and received the ultimate reward for a long life of service.

Samuel Ray Vaughan was born on Monday, June 11, 1934, and was, according to the doctors, too weak to survive. They told his parents, Guy and Anna Vaughan, to “leave the boy on the back porch to die.” His parents, though, decided to fight for him. They fed him goat’s milk and raw eggs and kept him warm, hoping to strengthen him. Their hard work paid off, and their baby grew into a healthy boy.

A healthy boy whose pranks, games, and shenanigans probably gave them many grey hairs. He spent much of his free time causing “trouble” with his younger brother, Frank. For one of their games, they would find a cat, tie a corner of a scarf to each of its legs, and throw it off the roof, hoping the scarf would act as a parachute. Over time, all the neighborhood cats learned to hide when they saw Sam and Frank coming.

Eventually though, Sam grew up and joined the US Army in 1953, where he received his birth certificate. The name simply said “boy,” and he realized the story about his birth had been accurate. The doctors hadn’t even bothered to put a name on his birth certificate. He quickly fixed that as he enlisted.

He then spent three years in Berlin, Germany, and, when he finally returned home from the Army, met the love of his life, Fran. They got married in 1959 and settled down in Franklin County, where Sam joined the Virginia State Police.

Meanwhile, in the early years of their marriage, Fran had begun attending Franklin Heights Baptist Church, and soon, all the members were praying faithfully for Sam to come to know Jesus. Eventually, Fran’s influence won her husband over, and he began attending church. In his Bible, he wrote: “May 10th, 1965, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior.”

As his children grew, Sam led his family to take care of themselves and others. He helped build the house they would live in, taught his children to change tires and take care of their cars, and made sure everyone knew how to handle a gun to defend themselves, while still valuing human life.

While in uniform, he didn’t just make sure people followed the law, but that they did the right thing. He would often give a life lesson in place of a ticket, and made sure to follow up with people to see how they were doing.

Sam retired from the State Police force as a Master Trooper on July 1, 1995, but spent his life in Franklin Heights serving his family, church, and community. He served as a deacon, usher, and teacher. He led prayer meetings and community outreach. He served on the church building committee and as a building inspector. And, as the years went on, he used his experience following orders in the Army to take on the ultimate responsibility- helping his wife cater food to church events.

Though he had “grown up” many years before, Sam never outgrew his child-like spirit. He loved to have fun. He kept a joke ready at all times. He didn’t mind laughing at himself. And he had a story for every situation. But through every interaction with his family, friends, and community, he desired to help others become better, both in their personal lives and in their relationships with God.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Guy and Anna; sister Mary White; brothers Wilmer, Tom, Cecil, and Paul; and granddaughter Stephanie Trees. He is survived by his wife, Fran Cales Vaughan; daughters Tammy and Beth; son, Samuel Ray II (Lisa); brother Frank and sister Veda Perdue; grandchildren Anna (Tim), Joey (Jules), Trey, and Bailey (Zach); and great-grandchildren Emilee, Kara, Lydia, Alayna, Evalyn, Hudson, Weston, and Noelle.

A memorial service is being held at Franklin Heights Church (110 Hilltop Dr, Rocky Mount, VA), Sunday, October 11 at 2:30 p.m.