Kenneth (Ken) Lyle Vaughan
(1939 – 2024)
Our dad passed away on his own terms and in his own bed on the morning of March 14, 2024 just 10 days away from his 85th birthday. He relished every minute of his time on earth.
Born on the home quarter of their farm at Garthland near Duck Lake Saskatchewan to his parents Emmet and Eva Vaughan, dad was the eldest of 4 children, and had an additional 4 siblings from his father’s previous marriage. His Birth Certificate indicates his birthplace as “Section 3,Twp47, Rge3, W3rd, Sask” – which is the legal description of the family home quarter, and testament to the humble beginnings of our dad.
Born in 1939, Dad’s life story began at the start of WWII – the year Hitler invaded Poland, and at the tail end of the Great Depression and the Dirty Thirties. His early years were shaped by not only those global events but also the hard working family tradition.
Ken’s grandfather JL Vaughan left West Virginia and headed north, settling on the Garthland farm in 1910. JL was a book-keeper, a carpenter by trade, and a sawyer. His family had no access to education so in 1913 he decided to build a school. JL was a visionary and an entrepreneur, and the Vaughan successes were in no small part due to the hard work the family contributed. The farm grew and Ken’s dad Emmet became a farmer and sawyer on those lands as well. The Vaughan family work ethic was ingrained on Ken at an early age. Dad was forced to grow up early.
At age 8 the family moved from the farm to Big River, and it was there Ken found a passion for hockey. At age 14 he would hang around the rink and if the senior men’s team (The Big River Braves) were short players they’d enlist Ken on to the roster. His best pal and younger brother Les recalls the coach warning both teams “this player is just a 14 year old kid – do not hurt him”.
In 1956 Eva arrived by train in Hixon, BC with her four children Ken, Les, Huey and Anna. Emmet was to arrive later that year, and Eva gained employment running a restaurant called Cruises Diner. Ken was now 16 years old. He soon thereafter met Wilma Wilson, they were married in January of 1958, and by May of 1961 Ken and Wilma had their complete family of three children. Ken drove bus for a few years out of Smithers, and then logging trucks out of 150 Mile House before returning to Hixon to start his own log hauling business. The family lived in “Camp”, near the Wilson sawmill on Naver Creek for 3-4 years, before finally purchasing and moving in to their Thorley Road home in Hixon. Ken spent the rest of his life in that home.
Sports were always a large part of Ken’s life. Along with Les, he played senior hockey with the Quesnel Kangaroos, and as time went on he joined the old timers team out of Prince George named the Rusty Nuts. The Rusty Nuts played both locally and internationally in old timers tournaments including the Senior Winter Games. Ken rarely missed an ice time, and those players formed a friendship that lasted for the rest of Ken’s years. Ken also played fastball, and was active not only playing, but also coaching his son’s team. Additionally he found the time to be part of the pit crew for Doug Larson’s No.2 Super Modified race car which raced in the CAMRA circuit.
Ken and Wilma purchased a motor home and it seldom sat idle. For many years they would travel with it to destinations like Alaska, out of town hockey tournaments, CAMRA races, and each spring the host site of the Memorial Cup – the latter usually with their close friends Dave and Marion Bellamy. The trip to the Memorial Cup became a spring tradition and together with Cougars season tickets, both Ken and Wilma were huge supporters of junior hockey.
Ken’s morning normally started by heading down to the Hixon Shoppers to meet up with Les and a few of their buddies -all characters - for coffee and gossip. To this day on most mornings if you were to walk in to the Shoppers between 8:00 and 9:00 you’ll see a group at the table under a sign that reads “Hixon Senate”. Feel free to pay for their coffee.
Ken had an infectious sense of humour and together with his witty nature he usually had us all laughing. He kept that “cup’s half full” attitude to the very end.
We lost mom in 2020, but dad was fortunate in that he was surrounded by his family and friends who always made him feel comforted. Ken’s younger brother Les was always nearby, and simply his best friend. To Ken’s last days that relationship never wavered. Ken’s love of dogs also helped fill that void, and when he didn’t own one he’d adopt one of the Colebank’s from across the road. Dad missed our mom, but was never lonely. Dad loved his family, and his family, in turn, loved him.
Ken was preceded in death by his wife Wilma, and grandson Corey, and is survived by his three children Darl (Cathy), Amber (Tony) and Jo-Anne (Scott), his 5 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.
Dad’s wishes were very clear – he did not want a funeral service – and we will honour that. He loved life, and wants to be remembered in that sense. The family will have a private gathering this summer to say our farewells. In the meantime, any well-wishers are welcome to reach out and share some stories. We are sure there are some we’ve never heard.
Dad’s legacy is a wonderful, successful story and it is now his surviving family’s responsibility to ensure that this incredible individual will never be forgotten. He will be missed, but our memories we will hold dear to our hearts.