Clefton D. Vaughan

Clefton D. Vaughan, age 84, died at home surrounded by his loving family, on November 19, 2025 after a brief illness. 

Clef was born on July 29, 1941 in McComb, Mississippi, the youngest child of John Alexander and Virginia Elma Vaughan. He grew up first in McComb and then in Summit, MS. He graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi, majoring in Accounting. It was there that he met the love of his life and wife of 64 years, Mary, at the Wesley Foundation (a Methodist Campus ministry). They were married while still in school, following which he began a 34-year career with Murphy Oil Corporation. During those years Clef and his family lived in El Dorado, Arkansas, London, England, and New Orleans, Louisiana. After retiring as Vice President from Murphy Oil in the mid 1990s, he began working for Deltic Timber Corporation as their Chief Financial Officer and VP. Clef retired after 10 years of service working closely alongside CEO Ray Dillon. 

His outside interests centered primarily around his church-related activities. Clef was actively involved in church wherever they lived, whether that was St. John’s Methodist in Potters Bar, England, the American Church in London, First United Methodist in El Dorado, Rayne Memorial UMC in New Orleans, Asbury UMC and St. James UMC in Little Rock, or Good News Global Methodist Church in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. That involvement came out of a deep love of Jesus Christ and his desire to live his life as a disciple. He especially enjoyed teaching through the Bible in Sunday School or small groups. He served for many years leading the Council of Finance and Administration for the Arkansas Conference of the UMC. He also served on many Boards, most notably the Methodist Foundation of Arkansas, the Methodist Family Health Foundation, Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind, and the Advisory Board of the Salvation Army. 

Clef led his family well through his love for Christ and his devotion to Mary. They instilled a love of travel in all five of their children, and he passed his faith in Jesus down to each of them. They absolutely loved their 15 years spent in London and had so many wonderful experiences there. They met the Prime Minister, the Queen on two different occasions, and Clef even once had the honor of being invited to pray in the annual American Thanksgiving Service at St. Paul’s Cathedral. He was an avid Razorback fan, particularly baseball. He enjoyed playing golf, cards, and spending time with his family, especially the “Beach Week” every summer where all the family would gather, now numbering in the 30s! He and Mary had a close group of friends both in Little Rock and in Destin, and they considered themselves blessed to be around such wonderful people. The well-known phrase, “He never met a stranger,” could have originated with Clef, as he would talk to anybody in any place, from the grocery store to the streets of the neighborhood to an airport lounge to any other random spot! 

Clef is preceded in death by his parents, his two brothers, John Alton (Betty) and Glen Vaughan. Survivors include his wife, Mary Persons Vaughan, their five children Clayton (Christiane), Allison (Tony), Paul (Sherry), Carness (Ashley), and Clefton (Lindsey), and their 20 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Other survivors include his sister Linda (Bob), his sister-in-law Gloria, and many cousins, nephews, nieces, and friends. 

A memorial service will be held on November 24th at 10:00 am at St. James United Methodist Church, 321 Pleasant Valley Drive, Little Rock with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Methodist Family Health, 1600 Aldersgate Road, Suite 100, Little Rock, AR 72205; Ozark Mission Project, P.O. Box 26525, Little Rock, AR 72221; or Asbury Theological Seminary, 204 N. Lexington Ave., Wilmore, KY 40390.