Maria Vaughn

Maria Vaughn, 74, of Moncks Corner, wife of Jerry L. Vaughn passed away Monday afternoon
at a Moncks Corner hospital


Mrs. Vaughn was born November 3, 1934, a daughter of Otto Thilemann and Ida Wolf Thilemann,
at Alexandrowka, Bessarabien, near present day Odessa, on the western shore of the Black Sea.
There she lived on the family farm with her four sisters. In 1941, during the German invasion of
Russia, the entire family was relocated to Poland. They were separated from one another
and sent to work on various farms. Later during the war, her mother found each of her girls,
but they literally got caught up in the fighting between the retreating Germans and advancing
Russian armies. Eventually they were able to flee into southern Germany at the end of the
war, settling in Augsburg, Bavaria.


Maria later met an American GI, Sergeant Jerry L. Vaughn, who fell in love with her and was very
persistent about his courtship until she fell in love with him in return. They moved their new
family, with three children now in tow, to the USA. Then was born their fourth child.


Now surviving Maria, are her loving husband, Jerry, their four children: Deit Vaughn and his wife, Hatuna,
of Bamberg; Heidi Vaughn Buxton and her husband, Rick, of Bonneau; Winnie Vaughn of Tega Cay;
and Jerry "Lee" Vaughn and his wife, Gina, of Bamberg. This family extends to include eight grandchildren
and three great granchildren, all living in South Carolina. Also are two surviving sisters - Erna Reinhardt
of Augsburg, Germany and Barbara MacDonald of Valley Falls, NY.


Maria's memorial service will be at Calvary Baptist Church, Thursday afternoon at 1 o'clock.


Memorials may be made to American Heart Association, 409 King Street, Suite 300, Charleston,
S.C. 29403.