Celesta Ann Golden Vaughan

Celesta Ann Golden Vaughan ObituaryObituary published on Legacy.com by Boyer Funeral Home - Seminole from Mar. 10 to Mar. 11, 2026.Graveside services for Celesta Ann Golden Vaughan, age 85 of Elkhart, Indiana, will be held Saturday, March 14, 2026 at 11 a.m. at Gaines County Cemetery. A family visitation will be held at Boyer Funeral Home in Seminole, Texas, on Friday, March 13, 2026 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. All services are under the direction of Boyer Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Council on Aging of Elkhart County. 131 Tyler St Suite 1A, Elkhart, IN 46516 http://www.elkhartcoa.org/donate. The family has lovingly provided the following obituary.Celesta Ann Golden Vaughan, 85, of Elkhart, Indiana, died at Elkhart General Hospital after a brief cancer battle on Friday, February 20, 2026. She was born in Lamesa, Texas in 1940 to Raymond and Fern (Stanley) Golden, who instilled in her a strong work ethic and love of West Texas. She spent the first six years of her life in a small house on the family farm with no running water or electricity. Her school bus was a pickup truck with wooden benches in the back that slid back and forth every time it started and stopped. She was valedictorian at Seminole High School before studying at Hardin-Simmons University where she graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in history and education and a minor in speech and drama. She continued educating herself throughout her life taking a variety of classes and workshops and earning many certifications that she used in her professional career. She taught Social Studies in Arlington (Texas) Public Schools, as well as authored curriculum guides in preparation for integration. She left teaching to raise a family with Dan Vaughan, Sr. in Dallas, Texas. After moving to Elkhart, she spent time as a substitute teacher for Concord Community Schools and head cheer coach at Concord High School. She found her professional home at Elkhart General Hospital and Elkhart General Home Care where she held many different administrative assistant/clerical support roles. She retired from Elkhart General Home Care and then began her life of service to the community. Her passion was in serving the aging population. She was an Advisory Council Member for the Real Services Area 2 Agency on Aging where she served as the chair of the operational guidelines committee. She was a member of the Rotary Club of Elkhart. Her favorite position of service was with the board of Council on Aging of Elkhart County. She served as the president of the board for the last three years. To know her was to know of her love of Texas, football, wine, and slot machines. She was a collector of people and their life stories. She never knew a stranger. Once she met you, you were her friend for life. She was a treasure.Anyone who knew her knew the love she had for her family. She is survived by son, Dan Vaughan, Jr. and wife Dr. GayMarie Vaughan of Dallas, Texas, son, Sam Vaughan and wife Stephanie of Elkhart, Indiana, and son, Chris Vaughan and wife Dr. Annie Kahn Vaughan of Dallas, Texas; daughter, Celesta Michelle McDonald and husband Joe of Northglenn, Colorado; grandchildren Bennett Vaughan, Maxwell Vaughan and fiancé Lauren Ostrowski, Declan and Teagan McDonald, bonus grandchildren Jak Kurdi and wife Maddie, and Caroline Kurdi; one sister, Connie Golden Lamm of Seminole, Texas; and many nieces and nephews that she adored.To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.