Past President Bob Vaughn Dies

June 28, 2022

The North Carolina Bar Association has learned of the passing of Robert C. (Bob) Vaughn Jr. at the age of 90. He served as president of the North Carolina Bar Association and Foundation in 1985-86.

Vaughn was a native of Winston-Salem and a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1953) and UNC School of Law (1955). He served from 1955-58 in the U.S. Navy, where he earned the rank of lieutenant.

Upon his return to Winston-Salem in 1959, he joined Ratcliff, Vaughn, Hudson & Ferrell, which was known as Hudson, Ferrell, Petree, Stockton, Stockton & Robinson when he became a partner in 1965. Vaughn remained with the firm, which is now known as Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, until 2001, at which time he joined in the formation of Vaughn Perkinson Ehlinger Moxley & Stogner to concentrate in tax, trusts and estate work.

In 1979 Vaughn became founding chair of the NCBA Estate Planning & Fiduciary Law Section, having served as chair of its predecessor, the Probate and Fiduciary Law Committee, from 1977-79. He served on the NCBA Board of Governors and the NCBF Board of Directors from 1981-84.

Vaughn also served as president of the Forsyth County Bar Association and as chair of the UNC Law Alumni and the N.C. Fellows of the American College of Trusts and Estates. He was a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel and the American Bar Foundation.

Vaughn was extremely active in the community and in his church. He served as chair of the United Way of Forsyth County, Summit School, Young Life of Winston-Salem, the Winston-Salem Coliseum and Convention Center Commission, Forsyth Medical Center Foundation, Winston-Salem Rotary Club and the Winston-Salem Foundation. He also taught Sunday school at Centenary United Methodist Church, served as chair of the Charitable Fund for many years, and chaired the Planned Giving Committee and the Budget Committee.

A gifted writer and speaker, Vaughn contributed articles to numerous publications and taught seminars for several organizations, including the NCBA, the UNC Tax Institute, the ABA and the American College of Trusts and Estates Counsel. For many years Vaughn taught the course on trusts for the NCBA-sponsored Bar Review Course.

The Robert C. Vaughn Justice Fund of the NCBF Endowment was dedicated in his honor in 2003.

Arrangements are pending.