William M. Vaughan

William (Bill a.k.a. “Willie”) Vaughan, 81, a resident of Hastings, died 12/16/2017 at home surrounded by family following an extended battle with COPD. He was born December 4, 1936, in Inman Township, Otter Tail County, Minnesota, the son of Floron & Edna (Rakstad) Vaughan. After attending the nearby rural elementary school and graduating from Henning High School in 1954, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served 2 years, including a deployment to South Korea. Following his military service, he moved to the Twin Cities and it was there that he met his future wife, Ms. Colette Griffin. They were married on September 30, 1961, in Shieldsville, MN. Bill and Colette moved to the Hastings area in 1969 where they raised their 4 children on a hobby farm. He worked for United Electric Corporation, an industrial equipment supplier for 42 years, the majority of it as an Outside Sales Representative. After Colette passed away in 1997, Bill met, and married Joann Woodbury and they spent the last 18 years together, traveling and socializing throughout their retirement, including annual winter trips to Texas. Bill was an outgoing, social man who more than anything else, enjoyed a good (and lively) conversation. He embraced the opportunities of being a salesman and the relationships that accompanied that career. He was a voracious reader of spy thrillers, loved a good Western movie, enjoyed afternoon dances, a top-shelf gin & tonic and viewed negotiating a good deal as the ultimate sport. Bill returned often to spend time with family and friends in Otter Tail County and never missed a hunting camp at the family farm. Family meant the world to him and it was family time that he cherished more than any other. Bill is survived by his wife Joann; children, Michael (Elizabeth) of Washington, D.C., Kathy of Lakeville, Mark (Beth) of Hastings, Susan (Al) Westerholm of Prior Lake; 9 grandchildren; sister, Marilyn of Columbia Heights; Joann's 3 daughters, their spouses and 14 grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Bill was preceded in death by his parents, first wife Colette, and his brothers Ralph and Robert (in infancy). A funeral service will be held on Thursday (12/21) at 11:00 AM at Resurrection United Methodist Church, 615 W. 15th St., Hastings. A visitation will be held on Wednesday (12/20) from 4:00 – 7:00 PM at Wise Family Funeral & Cremation Services, 400 Spring St., Hastings, and on Thursday (12/21) from 9:30 – 11:00 AM at the church. Interment, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations are made in Bill’s memory to the United Way of Hastings. Wise Family Funeral & Cremation Services is serving the family. Visit wisefamilyfh.com to sign the online tribute page and to view the memorial video.