Mary Joanne (Tawzer) Vaughn

Mary Joanne Vaughn, age 91, of Albuquerque NM, passed away July 24, 2019.  She was born October 3, 1927 in Chicago, IL, and raised in Oak Forest, IL. Her father died suddenly when she was nine.  She began college at 15.  A “Rosie the Riveter” during WW II, she earned her Baccalaureate in Mechanical Engineering from UNM.  She worked at Sandia Laboratories until 1955.  She was a PEO and an elder at First Presbyterian Church.  She was always a scholar and bibliophile.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Hannah Tawzer; husband, Harold R. Vaughn; sister, Frances Bonato; and nephew, Daniel Nerness.  She is survived by her sister. June Nerness; children, Stephanie (Penny) Vaughn, Mark Vaughn (Leslie), and Joanne Baty (Roy); grandchildren, Kristina Martinez (Richard), James Vaughn (Amanda), Samuel Baty, and Sarah Baty; great-grandchildren, Patience, Richard (Reo), Boyd, Maple, Aurelia, and Adelaide Martinez.  Her nieces are: Barbara Bonato and Linda Yohn; nephews, Frank Bonato and Eric Nerness.  She also had many great- and great-great-nieces and nephews.

Services will be held Tuesday, July 30, 2019, 10:00 a.m., at First Presbyterian Church, 215 Locust St. NE. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park, 924 Menaul Blvd. NE, and a reception will take place at the church afterwards.