Naomi Vaughan died peacefully on March 13, 2003 in the loving care of the Hospice House staff. She is survived by her son and his wife, Burton and Artis Vaughan, and her other son and wife, Stanley and Elizabeth Vaughan, of San Lorenzo, CA. Her husband, Benjamin Ben Winder Vaughan, died in 1976.

Naomi was born in Lucca, Italy, February 18, 1906. At age 4, her mother Cesira Ragghianti-Squaglia traveled overseas to join her father in San Francisco, CA, for life in the U.S. She attended schools in San Francisco along with her sister Ella Malfatti and later moved to Healdsburg, CA, where she worked in an ice cream parlor owned by her Ben's sister. She and Benjamin married when she was 19, then moved to San Rafael, CA, where they brought up their two sons. While there, she completed her high school equivalency and naturalization studies. She was very proud of her American citizenship.

In 1937, Naomi and Ben moved to Berkeley, CA, where Ben started Vaughan's Automotive, which he passed along to his son, Stanley. During World War II, Naomi held several jobs -in the family business, ship yard personnel, local bank, and department store selling. She loved working with people and after Ben died contributed over 4,000 hours of volunteer time to the Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley. She and Ben were actively involved with the Eastern Star and Masonic Lodge. They were also quite active folk dancers and belonged to the Chang's international folk exhibition group.

Following her husband's death, she remained in the San Francisco Bay area until 1989, when she joined her older son, Burton, and wife, in Richland. She settled in a nearby apartment, where she prided her independence, and she remained there until ill health in her 96th year led her to accept the help of Hospice. She leaves many friends with warm memories of her cheerful demeanor. Her granddaughters include Karen Gulotta and family of Brooklyn, NY, and Keva McMorrow and family of Edmonds, WA. She leaves three great grandsons, Nick and Francis Gulotta, and Garrick McMorrow.

Memorial services will be held at 1: 00 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, 2003, at Einan's Funeral Home.

Memorial contributions may be made in Naomi's name to the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy Hospice House, 2108 W. Entiat Ave., Kennewick, WA 99336, in lieu of flowers or Arts Center Task Force, Treasurer, 631 Lynwwod Loop Richland, WA 99352.