Courtney Sprague Vaughan passed away at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula at the age of 82. Courtney was born in Washington, D.C. The daughter of Rear Admiral Clifton "Ziggy" Sprague, Courtney attended 17 different schools across the U.S. and lived the life of the beautiful "Admiral's Daughter." Courtney's mother, Annabel Fitzgerald, was the sister of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Her husband of 50 years, Dr. Daniel Vaughan, first fell in love with her after seeing her picture when he was stationed in Guam. Dan and Courtney were married after a brief courtship in 1949 in Coronado, California. Dan established his ophthalmology practice in San Jose while Courtney raised their eight children, first living in San Jose and then settling in Monte Sereno. In addition, Courtney volunteered at St. Mary's Church in Los Gatos, as a docent at Santa Clara Mission, and other local organizations. When she moved to Pacific Grove following Dan's death in 2000, she continued her volunteer work at St. Vincent de Paul.
Courtney and her sister, Patricia Reneau, devoted much of their lives to the memory of their father and those brave men who served under him in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in WWII. Their labor of love culminated in the publication of Remembered and Honored, a book detailing Ziggy's life. In addition, they worked closely with naval historians who also chronicled this famous battle in the Pacific. In 1980, Courtney proudly christened the guided missile frigate, the USS Clifton Sprague. She broke the bottle on her first wallop! She also cherished her friendship with the veterans of Taffy 3 and attended many of their reunions.
Courtney was preceded in death by her husband, daughter Cecilia, and her sister Pat. She is survived by her daughters, Laurie (Doug) Campbell of Sonoma, Mary (Dennis) Basasso of Santa Cruz, Katie Vaughan of Pacific Grove, Sherry (Jon) de Leuw of Monterey; and sons, Jim Vaughan of Pacific Grove, Matthew (Belinda) Vaughan of San Jose, and Dan (Theresa) Vaughan of Oakland. She was also blessed with 14 amazing grandchildren and one darling great grandchild.
A Funeral Mass will be held at San Carlos Cathedral.
Her husband of 50 years, Dr. Daniel Vaughan, first fell in love with her after seeing her picture when he was stationed in Guam. Dan and Courtney were married after a brief courtship in 1949 in Coronado, California. Dan established his ophthalmology practice in San Jose while Courtney raised their eight children, first living in San Jose and then settling in Monte Sereno. In addition, Courtney volunteered at St. Mary's Church in Los Gatos, as a docent at Santa Clara Mission, and other local organizations. When she moved to Pacific Grove following Dan's death in 2000, she continued her volunteer work at St. Vincent de Paul.
Courtney and her sister, Patricia Reneau, devoted much of their lives to the memory of their father and those brave men who served under him in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in WWII. Their labor of love culminated in the publication of Remembered and Honored, a book detailing Ziggy's life. In addition, they worked closely with naval historians who also chronicled this famous battle in the Pacific. In 1980, Courtney proudly christened the guided missile frigate, the USS Clifton Sprague. She broke the bottle on her first wallop! She also cherished her friendship with the veterans of Taffy 3 and attended many of their reunions.
Courtney was preceded in death by her husband, daughter Cecilia, and her sister Pat. She is survived by her daughters, Laurie (Doug) Campbell of Sonoma, Mary (Dennis) Basasso of Santa Cruz, Katie Vaughan of Pacific Grove, Sherry (Jon) de Leuw of Monterey; and sons, Jim Vaughan of Pacific Grove, Matthew (Belinda) Vaughan of San Jose, and Dan (Theresa) Vaughan of Oakland. She was also blessed with 14 amazing grandchildren and one darling great grandchild.
A Funeral Mass will be held at San Carlos Cathedral.
Courtney Sprague Vaughan passed away at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula at the age of 82. Courtney was born in Washington, D.C. The daughter of Rear Admiral Clifton "Ziggy" Sprague, Courtney attended 17 different schools across the U.S. and lived the life of the beautiful "Admiral's Daughter." Courtney's mother, Annabel Fitzgerald, was the sister of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Her husband of 50 years, Dr. Daniel Vaughan, first fell in love with her after seeing her picture when he was stationed in Guam. Dan and Courtney were married after a brief courtship in 1949 in Coronado, California. Dan established his ophthalmology practice in San Jose while Courtney raised their eight children, first living in San Jose and then settling in Monte Sereno. In addition, Courtney volunteered at St. Mary's Church in Los Gatos, as a docent at Santa Clara Mission, and other local organizations. When she moved to Pacific Grove following Dan's death in 2000, she continued her volunteer work at St. Vincent de Paul.
Courtney and her sister, Patricia Reneau, devoted much of their lives to the memory of their father and those brave men who served under him in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in WWII. Their labor of love culminated in the publication of Remembered and Honored, a book detailing Ziggy's life. In addition, they worked closely with naval historians who also chronicled this famous battle in the Pacific. In 1980, Courtney proudly christened the guided missile frigate, the USS Clifton Sprague. She broke the bottle on her first wallop! She also cherished her friendship with the veterans of Taffy 3 and attended many of their reunions.
Courtney was preceded in death by her husband, daughter Cecilia, and her sister Pat. She is survived by her daughters, Laurie (Doug) Campbell of Sonoma, Mary (Dennis) Basasso of Santa Cruz, Katie Vaughan of Pacific Grove, Sherry (Jon) de Leuw of Monterey; and sons, Jim Vaughan of Pacific Grove, Matthew (Belinda) Vaughan of San Jose, and Dan (Theresa) Vaughan of Oakland. She was also blessed with 14 amazing grandchildren and one darling great grandchild.
A Funeral Mass will be held at San Carlos Cathedral.
Her husband of 50 years, Dr. Daniel Vaughan, first fell in love with her after seeing her picture when he was stationed in Guam. Dan and Courtney were married after a brief courtship in 1949 in Coronado, California. Dan established his ophthalmology practice in San Jose while Courtney raised their eight children, first living in San Jose and then settling in Monte Sereno. In addition, Courtney volunteered at St. Mary's Church in Los Gatos, as a docent at Santa Clara Mission, and other local organizations. When she moved to Pacific Grove following Dan's death in 2000, she continued her volunteer work at St. Vincent de Paul.
Courtney and her sister, Patricia Reneau, devoted much of their lives to the memory of their father and those brave men who served under him in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in WWII. Their labor of love culminated in the publication of Remembered and Honored, a book detailing Ziggy's life. In addition, they worked closely with naval historians who also chronicled this famous battle in the Pacific. In 1980, Courtney proudly christened the guided missile frigate, the USS Clifton Sprague. She broke the bottle on her first wallop! She also cherished her friendship with the veterans of Taffy 3 and attended many of their reunions.
Courtney was preceded in death by her husband, daughter Cecilia, and her sister Pat. She is survived by her daughters, Laurie (Doug) Campbell of Sonoma, Mary (Dennis) Basasso of Santa Cruz, Katie Vaughan of Pacific Grove, Sherry (Jon) de Leuw of Monterey; and sons, Jim Vaughan of Pacific Grove, Matthew (Belinda) Vaughan of San Jose, and Dan (Theresa) Vaughan of Oakland. She was also blessed with 14 amazing grandchildren and one darling great grandchild.
A Funeral Mass will be held at San Carlos Cathedral.
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