Vigil held for Vaughn
Published 8:05 pm Thursday, January 26, 2012
Daily Star photo/KATIE ROHMAN Tosha Asmus lays her head on the shoulder of her grandmother, Joyce Vaughn, during a candlelight vigil for her grandfather, James Vaughn Sr., at the Plaza Restaurant Thursday night. James and Joyce owned the Niles restaurant for 26 years until their retirement more than a year ago. James died Monday.
A man many Niles residents knew as the friendly face at Plaza Restaurant for 26 years was remembered with a candlelight vigil Thursday night.
James Vaughn Sr., a longtime truck driver, owned the restaurant with his wife, Joyce, until their retirement more than a year ago. James died Monday from cancer. He was 76.
Family, friends, Plaza employees and customers gathered at the restaurant to pay their respects to the man daughter-in-law Ellen Vaughn called “ornery.”
“He had a great sense of humor,” she said.
“He really cared about the customers.”
Ellen said he always wore “a lot of hats” and loved NASCAR.
Vaughn, a father of five children, shared a March 7 birthday with his grandson, Joe, and son, Tom.
“Speaking for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, I don’t believe there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for us,” granddaughter Tosha Asmus said.
“I really believe that he was my hero.”
A remembrance luncheon will be held for Vaughn at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Bell Building, 305 N. Third St., Niles.
Memorial contributions may be made in his memory to HOPE (Helping Our Pain and Exhaustion), 23915 Forest Park, Novi, MI 48374 for fibromyalgia research.
