Dr. Tom Jimison Vaughn Jr., 76, died peacefully on April 9, 2017 at the Joan & Howard Woltz Hospice Home in Dobson surrounded by his family and special nurses who cared for him.

A successful obstetrician and gynecologist with Mount Airy OB/Gyn for over 25 years, he was proud to say that he delivered thousands of babies in his hometown, surrounding Surry County, and areas in Virginia. Dr. Tom was born in Forsyth County to Lucille Reeves and Tom Jimison (Jim) Vaughn Sr. on March 30, 1941. He attended the Mount Airy City Schools, graduating from Mount Airy High School and Columbian Preparatory School in Washington, D. C. in 1959. While at Mount Airy High School, he excelled in academics and sports and was Co-Captain of his high school football team in 1958.

Tom received an appointment to the United States Military Academy and graduated with a BS in Engineering from West Point in 1963 with a commission in the U. S. Army as a Lieutenant. He distinguished himself in his service to his country as a Ranger and a Green Beret in Vietnam in the 5th Special Forces Group. He was a proud member of the 82nd Airborne Division that specialized in parachute assault in Vietnam. He won the Air Medal for air combat and the Bronze Star for Valor in a combat zone. He received an honorable discharge from the Army as Captain in 1969 and was accepted into the Aerospace Engineering Department at the University of Virginia where he received his Masters in Aerospace Engineering in 1971.

He changed courses and decided to pursue his love of medicine and was accepted at the University of Virginia School of Medicine where he received his MD in 1975. He was proud to be able to do his internship and residency in OB/GYN at the University of Virginia with Dr. Norman Thornton as his mentor. Everyone thought he would deliver the first baby on the moon with those two degrees!! He is remembered by several of his colleagues at UVA as one the most fun-loving residents who was able to bring a smile to all around him and to his patients in the most serious of professions. That carried over to his private practice in Mount Airy where stories abound from his patients who could not wait to share their story about Dr. Tom with his family.

When he began his practice in Mount Airy, he was associated with Dr. Waters and Dr. Koontz. He was the senior partner of that practice when he retired in 2000. One of his greatest accomplishments was adding the mammography clinic at that practice for the convenience of his patients. Another proud accomplishment involved his decade-long tenure as the Chairman of Boy Scouts in the Dogwood District. An Eagle Scout himself, he constantly reminded any young scouter (willing to listen!) that getting that award was the difference that singled him out for that appointment to the United States Military Academy.

Tom loved his family, medicine, his office staff, and the many patients he served. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lucille and Jim Vaughn and by his siblings Harry Renner Vaughn and Philip Reeves Vaughn. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Ann Lewis Vaughn of the home; his children, Kathryn Scott (Scotti) Vaughn Teschke of High Point, NC and Tom Jimison (Jay) Vaughn III and wife Susan of Wilmington, NC; grandchildren, Madison Scott Teschke, Hannah Louise Teschke and Scarlett Lewis Vaughn and Lane Cali Vaughn; and his sidekick Pepper, a totally laidback dachshund, who has stayed by his side for the past 6 years. He is also survived by two siblings, Charles Richard Vaughn and John Walter Vaughn, and many nieces and nephews and cousins of both the Vaughn and Lewis families, who loved to refer to Uncle Tom as “Buddha”!

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any contributions in memory of Dr. Tom be made to either the Joan & Howard Woltz Hospice Home, 945 Zephyr Road, Dobson, NC 27017, Central United Methodist Church 1909 N. Main St. Mount Airy, NC 27030, Old Hickory Council, Boy Scouts of America 6600 Silas Creek Pkwy., Winston-Salem, NC 27106 or to the charity of your choice. Online condolences can be made on http://www.moody funeralservices.com.